US Envoy: Geneva Talks Will Proceed This Week
Sudan Events – Reports
US Special Envoy to Sudan Tom Periello confirmed that talks aimed at ending the war in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces militia will proceed in Geneva this week.
In a press conference on Monday, the US envoy said, “We held extensive discussions with the Sudanese army, but they have not yet confirmed their attendance for August 14 in Switzerland. However, we will proceed with these talks, and this has been clarified to both parties.”
Periello suggested that the government side’s negotiating delegation be led by a senior military officer to ensure the success and speed of the round, to which the government delegation in Jeddah responded that Sudan would participate with a government delegation rather than a military one.
The US envoy emphasized that having a delegation from the Sudanese military leadership with decision-making authority is important in the Geneva negotiations.
He stressed the importance of ending the suffering of the residents of El Fasher, noting that the Rapid Support Forces militia has caused the humanitarian situation in El Fasher to deteriorate.
He added, “The crisis in Sudan is not limited to El Fasher alone, but the states are suffering from food shortages. We should not let August end without doing something, and Sudanese people should not go to bed hungry. We will do what we must, including air-dropping food.”
The US envoy conditioned the continuation of mediation efforts in Geneva on the presence of a military delegation capable of making decisions, as the priority is to ceasefire or hostilities, and this forum is not for political dialogue.
He continued, “If politicians attend the ceasefire negotiations intended for the military, we will lose many hours in discussions unrelated to the ceasefire. As this process concerns the warring parties, we await their participation in a military capacity with delegations capable of making decisions.”
Commenting on the Sudanese government’s delegation’s statements in Jeddah, the US envoy said, “You expect me to comment on meetings with the Sudanese delegation in Jeddah, but I will not go into much detail despite their failure to adhere to the same rules.”
He added, “We are very serious about welcoming a senior military delegation capable of making decisions so we can move forward with the necessary pace in the major crisis, rather than just talking and back-and-forth discussions for two days, as the Sudanese people want to see results.”
Periello stated that the mediation responded to issues raised by the military, including the implementation of the Jeddah Agreement. So far, neither side has arrived in Geneva, but we will proceed with designing a humanitarian plan through drafting it and presenting it to both sides.
He added that the prolonged negotiations do not serve the Sudanese people, and we are thinking about how to deliver food and medicine, and we will look at all the previous challenges in Sudan and conflict zones regarding how to deliver aid.
He continued, “We want to achieve a ceasefire, and the participation of the UAE and Egypt in the Geneva negotiations means that the agreement will not just be on paper, as they are capable of making progress in the process and ensuring that the deal is not just on paper.”
