Geneva — Breakthroughs providing for greater humanitarian access that were achieved in the first round of U.S.-mediated peace talks on Sudan are holding and expanding, the United States' special envoy for Sudan said. The talks wrapped up in Geneva last Friday.
"We were able over a couple of weeks working intensively around the clock and with other partners and back in our capitals around the world for this ALPS [Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan] group to be able to produce some very significant breakthroughs," Tom Perriello told journalists at an online news conference Thursday.
He credited the ALPS group, which includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the African Union and the United Nations, for negotiating the opening of two of three vital access routes "into areas of famine and acute hunger."
"We were able to get agreement on the opening of the Adre border, agreements from the RSF [Rapid Support Forces] and SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces] to guarantee access along those routes," he said, adding that negotiators received similar pledges from the warring parties of guarantee of access "across the Dabbah Road coming east from Port Sudan."
"Both of those remain active and open now with dozens of trucks crossing. Nearly 6 million pounds of food and emergency relief are reaching areas in need. We need that to continue and to accelerate," Perriello said. "And we are actively negotiating on a daily basis for additional expansions, including access through Sennar State into the heartland of Sudan."
The negotiators estimate that the opening of the three routes combined would reach 20 million people with lifesaving food, medicine and other crucial aid.
The World Food Program reports that more than half of Sudan's population -- 26.5 million people -- is suffering from acute hunger, including more than 755,000 people on the verge of famine.
Since the rival parties went to war in April 2023, the United Nations reports, more than 18,800 people have been killed and more than 33,000 injured. The U.N. calls Sudan the world's largest displacement crisis, noting that more than 12 million people have been uprooted from their homes -- 10.7 million displaced inside Sudan and another 2 million as refugees in neighboring countries.
Considering the multiple dangers -- the bombings, shelling, violence and abuse to which the Sudanese people are subjected every day -- negotiators sought and were able to achieve another breakthrough on civilian protection.
"We were able to get a commitment to a code of conduct by the Rapid Support Forces with a deadline by the end of the month of being able to put that out publicly to all those fighting under their auspices," Perriello said, adding, "We have made that same request of the army."
Still no peace accord
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However, he noted that the Geneva talks failed to reach an agreement on the cessation of hostilities.
"We, unfortunately, we see a lack of political will at the time for the parties to stop fighting, and in fact are accelerating. ... We have to find a way to get the parties together to find an end to this war that is leading to the suffering of millions inside Sudan, as well as spilling over increasingly into neighboring countries," Perriello said.
While the Rapid Support Forces sent a delegation, the Sudanese Armed Forces stayed away, citing concern about the presence of the United Arab Emirates at the negotiating table. The SAF alleges the UAE sent arms to the RSF, a claim the UAE denies.
Perriello acknowledged the difficulty of reaching a peace agreement with only one of the warring parties present. He said that despite this handicap, agreements on humanitarian issues have been reached because he has been in regular contact with SAF representatives by telephone. These efforts "are continuing, and the engagement with both the RSF and the army is a daily engagement," he said.
Given the level of urgency presented by the crisis in Sudan, Perriello said, nonstop negotiations to improve the desperate plight of the Sudanese people are continuing virtually 24/7 with all participants.
"I do think in addition to the stark scale of humanitarian suffering, you also now have a crisis that represents a real regional threat to instability," he said. "We do believe ultimately there is no military solution to this conflict, and a mediated solution is the quickest way to ensure a stable and sovereign Sudan."
