The UN-sponsored talks between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Geneva, Switzerland, began on Wednesday with the absence of an army representative from the first session dedicated to humanitarian aid and the opening of corridors for the flow of relief supplies. The UN is maintaining a wall of secrecy over the proceedings of the talks, which are said to be indirect between the two delegations.
According to sources, the UN has designed a 90-day truce agreement to facilitate the movement and delivery of aid to civilians in the fighting areas, but the army delegation is intransigent about the proposals of the coordinates provided for the corridors and safe zones.
Bloody fighting:
Sudan has been witnessing bloody fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces since 25 April last year, leaving 25 million citizens at risk of famine, in addition to more than nine million displaced and refugees.
Representation:
The head of the Sudanese Observatory for Human Rights, Dr Abdel Salam Sayed Ahmed, said that the Geneva talks are sponsored by the United Nations and the participation of representatives of the United States and Saudi Arabia, in addition to the representation of the army in the talks through the Humanitarian Aid Commission, which means that this representation is not from the military leadership of the army.
Maneuvering and bidding:
The member of the leading body of the Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddam) told Rhino that the arrival of the army and RSF delegations to Geneva in response to the invitation of the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy, adding: “The army should know well that what is required of it – not desired – is only one thing: agreeing to all the demands of the international community to open and secure the routes in order for humanitarian aid to reach millions of Sudanese who are threatened with starvation. He must also know that this matter is not subject to maneuvering or bidding, and that dragging his feet will have serious consequences for the de facto authority in Port Sudan.)
Three-month truce:
Speaking to Rhino, Sayed Ahmed explained that the negotiations are centred on facilitating humanitarian aid, defining routes and a truce mechanism. He announced that there is a proposal for a 90-day truce, saying: “If the talks are successful, this truce can be adopted to organise relief, identify routes and establish a monitoring mechanism.” He considered that there are obstacles to reaching a truce, especially since it needs to raise the representation to take the decision and abide by it.
Regarding the authorization, the head of the Sudanese Observatory for Human Rights said that the ongoing negotiations are below the level of representation, especially on the army side, which is represented by the Humanitarian Aid Commission, to be able to sign a truce or ceasefire.
According to Sayed Ahmed, if the talks result in an agreement on a truce to pass aid, the mediation will have made a breakthrough. Indicators are pointing towards the success of the negotiations, which opens the door to a new hope for the resumption of the Jeddah negotiations, a step in the right direction, but so far, the details of the agreement are not known.
The UN aims to reach an agreement on a 90-day truce or ceasefire, for relief arrangements and a freeze on the expansion of military operations, so that there will be no military movement to any new area by either side. There is information indicating intransigence on the part of the army delegation over proposals for corridors and safe zones.
However, fears and doubts remain about the possibility of success or a strong outcome, as Al-Burhan only sent the negotiating delegation to register attendance without reaching anything, according to Sayed Ahmed.
Failure of the talks:
A professor of diplomatic studies at Sudanese universities, who preferred to withhold her name, said that the UN is too late in its latest move, pointing out that the situation in Sudan has become politically and geographically complex, and that the delivery of aid requires high capabilities, given that the conflict in the country has spread to remote and rugged areas, and it is difficult for aid to reach them, especially in the autumn season.
The military’s recklessness:
For his part, former Foreign Minister Dr Omar Kamaruddin, while hosting Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath on Friday, considered the absence of the army from the first session of the talks as a disregard for the lives of Sudanese people and a lack of interest in their tragedy.
The army delegation did not attend the first session at the opening of the UN talks without giving reasons, but the UN said in statements that the talks are continuing despite the absence of the army from the first session.
