US/Saudi Arabian facilitators ‘stand ready to resume Jeddah talks on Sudan’

The US/Saudi Arabian joint facilitators of the suspended Jeddah talks between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), say they stand ready to resume formal talks and remind the parties that they must implement their obligations under the May 11 Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan.

The talks were formally suspended by the facilitators last week, “as a result of repeated serious violations of the short-term ceasefire and recent ceasefire extension by the SAF and RSF… until the parties demonstrate meaningful commitment…”

In a statement today, the facilitators say that in spite of the suspension, delegations from both the SAF and the RSF remain present in the Saudi Arabian city, and as facilitators, both Saudi Arabia and the USA “continue to engage them daily”. The US/Saudi joint statement says that the discussions are focused on facilitating humanitarian assistance and reaching agreement on short-term steps the parties must take before the Jeddah talks resume.

“The facilitators stand ready to resume formal talks and remind the parties that they must implement their obligations under the May 11 Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan. Saudi Arabia and the United States remain steadfast in their commitment to the people of Sudan and call upon the parties to agree to and effectively implement a new ceasefire, with the aim of building to a permanent cessation of hostilities,” the statement concludes.