Sudan talks resume in Geneva amid deepening crisis
Representatives from 21 countries and five international institutions met to discuss ceasefires, security, and political solutions to the ongoing conflict.
Talks aimed at halting the fighting in Sudan and easing the humanitarian crisis resumed in Geneva on Wednesday. The two-day meeting brought together international and regional partners to coordinate peace initiatives and explore a path towards a ceasefire and a peaceful political transition. The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has led to deadly drone attacks targeting civilians and infrastructure.
Pekka Haavisto, the United Nations secretary-general’s personal envoy for Sudan, urged delegates to identify practical measures and use their channels of engagement to build confidence and create conditions for a comprehensive ceasefire. Switzerland’s state secretary, Alexandre Fasel, highlighted that civilians are suffering and dying today, and protections under international law, including the Geneva Conventions, must be upheld. He noted that famine-like conditions persist in Darfur and Kordofan states, driven by the war.
Nearly 34 million people across Sudan need humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. UNICEF warned that eight million Sudanese children are out of school, a situation described as a violation of the right to education and a risk factor for a stable future. Conflict-related sexual violence has re-emerged as a tactic to terrorize the civilian population.
Why it mattersNearly 34 million Sudanese people need humanitarian assistance, and eight million children are out of school due to the ongoing conflict.