Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Khartoum (Fides News Agency) – The reopening of three crossing points for humanitarian aid is so far the only (albeit important) result of the peace talks for Sudan currently underway in Geneva.
Representatives of the United States, the UN, the African Union, IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development, regional organization of the countries of the Horn of Africa), Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and one of the parties to the conflict, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in the meetings taking place on Swiss soil. The Sudanese army is boycotting the talks as it rejects the participation of the UAE, accused of supporting the RSF. The conflict broke out in April 2023, pitting the Sudanese Armed Forces SAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagalo.
To try to involve the SAF, the United States had invited its delegation to Cairo yesterday, August 21, to meet with the American one. But disagreements have arisen over the inclusion of members of Sudanese military intelligence and over Darfur's armed groups in the Sudanese delegation. The United States and Egypt apparently raised objections to the untimely additions, leading to the postponement of the meeting.
The Geneva talks are focused on the implementation of the agreements signed in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on May 11, 2023. Known as the Jeddah Declaration and signed by SAF and RSF, it commits both parties to protecting civilians and respecting international humanitarian law. A subsequent Jeddah Agreement of May 20 , 2023, reiterated the importance of the protection of civilians during the implementation of a seven-day ceasefire. The ceasefire was breached less than a day after taking effect. Subsequent ceasefires were also not respected.
The Geneva talks must take into account the position, considered unrealistic by neutral observers, of the SAF who demand that the RSF return control over the cities and areas conquered in the war. The only important result achieved so far in Geneva is the reopening of three communication routes to allow the passage of humanitarian aid to populations exhausted by conflict, the lack of food and drinking water as well as diseases, such as cholera. An initial convoy of 15 trucks from the UN Office for Humanitarian Coordination (OCHA) passed through the André crossing, on the border between Chad and Sudanese Darfur. The UN humanitarian agency plans to send 116 trucks through this crossing for a total of 6,000 tons of food, medication and other basic necessities.
Complicating the picture are the international sponsorships of the conflict. Egypt and Iran are suspected of having sent weapons to the SAF, while the UAE is accused of supporting the RSF. Russia, on the one hand, through the former private military company Wagner supports the RSF but, on the other hand, its diplomacy moves in the direction of General al-Burhan. Ukrainian special forces are said to support the SAF against the RSF. Finally, Turkish-made weapons were found to be used by both sides. (L.M.) (Fides News Agency 22/8/2024)
ASIA/LEBANON - Lebanon on the brink of the abyss
AFRICA/DR CONGO - Bishops: “The ceasefire signed in Luanda for eastern DRC must be implemented”