Jeddah Consultations Fail and Government Reveals Reasons

The consultations held in Jeddah between the Sudanese government and American officials failed to reach an understanding that would pave the way for the upcoming talks in Geneva, scheduled for August 14th. While the Sudanese government issued a statement revealing the reasons for the failure of the Jeddah consultations, the fate of the Geneva negotiations remains unclear.

In a Facebook post, the head of the government delegation, Minister of Minerals Mohamed Bashir Abu Numo, announced the end of the consultations without reaching an agreement on the government’s participation in the upcoming Geneva negotiations. He explained that they would recommend non-participation to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Chairman of the Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the army, noting that the U.S. delegation refuses to consider the negotiating delegation in Geneva as representing the Sudanese government in its entirety, insisting that it represents only the army. He added that there are other points of disagreement that were not discussed.

In related news, military sources told “Sudan Tribune” that the American officials did not provide the required response to the demands put forth by the government delegation, which included the implementation of the Jeddah Agreement signed on May 11, 2023, as well as the refusal to include non-military personnel in the proposed talks with the Rapid Support Forces.

A military source, who requested anonymity, told “Sudan Tribune” that the talks discussed the implementation of the Jeddah Agreement and the level of representation in the negotiations. The government delegation demanded the implementation of the agreement before initiating any arrangements with the Rapid Support Forces.

In this context, the Sudanese government stated that the U.S. delegation, led by Tom Perriello, did not commit during the Jeddah consultations to push the rebel militia to comply with the Jeddah Declaration, which includes a commitment to protecting civilians in Sudan and is based on international humanitarian law and human rights law.

The government’s statement, issued by Minister of Information Graham Abdelkader, on Sunday evening, stated that the consultative meeting was held on August 9th and 10th in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The statement added, “According to the premises and content of the consultative meeting, it was noted that the U.S. delegation insisted on the participation of the United Arab Emirates as an observer in the meeting and did not justify the creation of a new platform, relying on inaccurate information in assessing the situation in Sudan.”

The statement continued, “The Sudanese government expresses the aspirations and hopes of the Sudanese people, who are subjected to all forms of violence and serious violations, losing their material, moral, and cultural achievements and properties due to the rebel militia.” It added, “The Government of Sudan affirms its commitment to the implementation of the Jeddah Declaration signed on May 11, 2023, and rejects the presence of any new observers or facilitators.”

The statement welcomed initiatives that meet, respond to, and preserve the country’s sovereignty and the dignity of the Sudanese people.