Jeddah talks set to resume to end war in Sudan

PORT SUDAN, Sudan

Negotiations aiming for peace in Sudan will restart in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in three weeks, according to US Special Envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello.

Perriello announced on social media on Monday: "We welcome the decision of Saudi Arabia to restart Jeddah talks within the next three weeks."

He stressed the urgent need to end the war against the Sudanese people.

The US State Department urged both the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to "negotiate in good faith for a cease-fire."

Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in East Africa will collaborate to facilitate the negotiations.

The Jeddah Declaration, signed in May 2023, aimed to end conflicts between Sudan's army and the RSF.

It emphasized civilian protection and Sudanese interests.

However, talks stalled in July due to alleged RSF violations. Resumed negotiations in October were indefinitely postponed in December after negotiations were deadlocked.

Sudan's conflict, ongoing for a year, follows Omar al-Bashir's overthrow.

Despite mediation efforts and peace initiatives, it persists, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions displaced, fueling a humanitarian crisis.

RSF is the paramilitary force that is in the conflict against the army in Sudan.

Omar al-Bashir is a Sudanese former military officer and politician who served as Sudan's head of state under various titles from 1989 until 2019.

*Writing by Muhammed Yasin Gungor in Istanbul