US-sponsored Sudan peace talks start in Switzerland despite army boycott

Army chief Gen Al Burhan has doubled down on his refusal to send delegates

Families fleeing fighting between the army and paramilitaries in Sudan's capital Khartoum, in April. AFP

Participants in US-sponsored peace talks to pause Sudan's 15-month civil war said they were “hard at work” in Switzerland on Wednesday despite the Sudanese army boycotting the negotiations.

The talks, which could last up to 10 days, are being co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, with the African Union, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates with the UN present as observers.

The hosts and observers said in a joint statement that “intensive diplomatic efforts” were under way to “support humanitarian access, cessation of hostilities, and compliance in accordance with previous Jeddah outcomes, other efforts, and international humanitarian law”.

“It is high time for the guns to be silenced,” Tom Perriello, the US Special Envoy for Sudan, wrote on X as the discussions began. His hopeful declaration rang hollow given that the army, which has been fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April last year, stayed away from the talks.

In an address to the nation late on Tuesday, Sudan's army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan confirmed it would not take part in the Geneva talks.

“There will be no peace with a mutinous militia that occupies our homes and towns and lays siege to and cuts off roads,” Gen Al Burhan said. “There will be no halt to military operations before the withdrawal of every militiaman from our towns and villages which they pillaged while colonising their residents.”

Sudan, a vast and resource-rich nation of about 50 million people, has been mired in violence since the start of the war, creating a humanitarian crisis and displacing more than 10 million people. The absence of the army from negotiations left participants focused on the technical aspects of dealing with the humanitarian situation in Sudan, rather than brokering a ceasefire.

Gen Al Burhan's decision to stay away came after two days of fruitless consultations between Sudanese and US officials in Jeddah. Held at the request of the army-backed government, the consultations were designed to help Gen Al Burhan decide whether or not to take part in the negotiations.

A government statement said it did not understand or accept the rationale behind creating a forum for the negotiations to replace one in Jeddah sponsored by the US and Saudi Arabia. That forum brokered a series of ceasefires in the early days of the war which were either ignored or proved to be short-lived. Sudan also objected to the inclusion of new observers and facilitators in the negotiations.

In May last year, the army and RSF signed a humanitarian deal brokered by Saudi Arabia and the US that obliges the foes to protect civilians, respect international laws of war and aid the delivery of humanitarian assistance to millions of Sudanese who desperately need help.

“We are focused on ensuring parties respect international humanitarian law and enable humanitarian assistance,” said Mr Perriello on X.

The civil war has created the world's largest displacement and left millions more facing hunger. The country's infrastructure has been devastated and the parties in the conflict are accused of war crimes.

On Tuesday, The International Organisation for Migration urged countries to step up their donations in response to Sudan's displacement crisis, warning that inaction could cost tens of thousands of lives. The conflict in Sudan is seen as a fight for control between Gen Al Burhan and his one-time ally Gen Mohamed Dagalo, the RSF commander.

Mr Perriello had said the Switzerland talks would go ahead regardless of whether the army took part, adding that the people of Sudan could not wait any longer.

RSF representatives were present at Wednesday's opening session. Gen Dagalo criticised the army in an address posted online late on Monday, saying that the military and the government it controls only represented their own interests.

Speaking in an interview with an army-linked daily in Sudan, Gen Al Burhan's deputy, Gen Shamseldeen Kabashi, repeated his leader's assertion that there would be no negotiations with the RSF before they left towns and villages and vacated private homes and state installations they have occupied.

“The army will soon put a smile again on the face of the Sudanese people who have long been patient in the face of the crimes and abuses committed by the mutinous militia,” he said.

The army has steadily lost territory to the RSF, with most of the capital Khartoum under the paramilitary's control along with most of the western region of Darfur and parts of Kordofan in the south. The RSF also has near total control of Al Jazira state, the country's breadbasket south of Khartoum.