Sudan’s warring parties concluded a 10-day peace summit in Geneva on Friday, agreeing to improve access for humanitarian aid, but progress was hampered by the absence of the Sudanese army at the talks. The discussions, led by the United States and involving mediators from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, aimed to address the 16-month-long conflict that has devastated the country.
The mediation group, calling themselves the “Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan (ALPS) Group,” announced the identification of two key routes to ensure the flow of humanitarian resources to civilians. The first route is through the Adre border crossing with Chad, leading into the Darfur region, and the second is via the Dabbah Road from Port Sudan on the Red Sea. There was also reported progress towards opening a third route through the Sennar Junction.
“Aid trucks are on the road to provide famine relief in Zamzam Camp and other parts of Darfur,” the mediators said in a joint statement. “These routes must remain open and safe so we can surge aid into Darfur and begin to turn the tide against famine. Food and starvation cannot be used as a weapon of war.”
The war, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, has led to widespread devastation. Over 10.7 million people have been displaced, and tens of thousands have died. The United Nations World Food Programme has declared an emergency in the region, with 25.6 million people facing acute hunger and famine confirmed in parts of North Darfur.
While the mediators secured commitments from the RSF to refrain from violence against civilians, including women and children, and to ensure the safety of humanitarian operations, the absence of the Sudanese army from the talks was a significant setback. The mediators expressed regret over the army’s decision not to participate in person, noting that it limited the progress on critical issues, particularly a national cessation of hostilities.
U.S. Sudan envoy Tom Perriello, speaking at a press conference in Geneva, acknowledged the slow pace of progress, describing the results as insufficient given the scale of the humanitarian crisis. “The crisis in Sudan is so severe that we could do four of these [negotiation rounds] and still be barely scratching the surface of what Sudanese people deserve,” he said.
Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, expressed cautious optimism but highlighted the fragile nature of the agreements. “The border is open today. It could be closed tomorrow,” he warned, emphasizing the disorganized situation on the ground.
Despite the mediators’ efforts, the international community’s failure to exert sufficient pressure on the warring parties remains a concern. Hudson argued that without real consequences, such as sanctions or prosecutions, the warring factions are unlikely to respect the agreements reached in Geneva.
“These are two armies caught in a pitched, existential battle. The last thing that they’re interested in is respecting agreements that they don’t see themselves as parties to,” Hudson said, stressing the need for stronger international leverage to bring about meaningful change in Sudan.
