Saudi-US led ceasefire discussions underway, Troika welcomes intra-Sudanese Ethiopia talks

Negotiations between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are underway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia since Thursday. Topics under discussion include a potential ceasefire as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid. Intra-Sudanese talks are also taking place in Ethiopia, which have been met with praise by the Troika representatives of Norway, UK, and USA in a statement released on Friday.

Discussions are continuing in Jeddah between the two warring parties. The Jeddah negotiation platform is facilitated by Saudi Arabia and the USA, in partnership with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) in the Horn of Africa.

The spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “The Kingdom affirms its keenness on the unity of ranks and the importance of giving precedence to wisdom and stopping the conflict in order to stop the bloodshed and alleviate the Sudanese people’s suffering.”

He added that they hope to reach “a political agreement under which security, stability, and prosperity will be achieved for Sudan and its brotherly people.”

Other facilitators in the Jeddah negotiations include representatives from IGAD, the Horn of Africa’s development bloc led by Kenya.

Troika

Sudan Troika members Norway, the UK, and USA welcomed this week’s meeting in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, where a broad group of Sudanese civilian actors and stakeholders met to discuss the ceasefire.

The preparatory meeting for the Civil Front to Stop the War, which concluded its work on Thursday, ended with the formation of a 60-member preparatory leadership committee headed by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok to “carry out oversight and supervisory tasks, and follow up on the preparation for the founding conference”.

According to its “final statement”, the preparatory meeting decided to convene the conference within two months, with the participation of around 1,000 people. It also resolved to establish a “coordinating executive office and a preparatory committee”.

In a joint statement posted on Friday, the Sudan Troika applauded the meeting for serving “as an important step towards the formation of a genuinely inclusive and representative pro-democracy civilian front.”

“We welcome the fact that, in the midst of an active conflict, a wide array of Sudanese civilian actors from both inside and outside Sudan – including representatives of historically marginalised groups and areas, Resistance Committees, trade unions, professional associations, civil society groups, political parties, new initiatives, and independent national figures – were able to come together for this important initial meeting.”

The troika condemned the “continuing violence and tragic loss of life across Sudan”, asserting that “Sudan will continue to require international support and attention”.