UAE's Lana Nusseibeh says only a negotiated settlement will work in Sudan

Assistant Minister says the UAE is playing a constructive role in seeking peace in civil war, in letter to UK publication

Sudanese refugees in Korsi, in the northern city of Birao, in the Central African Republic. AFP

The UAE’s Lana Nusseibeh has underlined the country's efforts to promote a ceasefire that would apply to the warring factions in the Sudan conflict in the face of calls for an end to the conflict.

The UAE Assistant Minister for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs used a letter to The Economist magazine in the UK to state that the Emirates was playing a “constructive role” in seeking long-term peace in the African country.

“Only a negotiated settlement and return to a civilian-led government through our collective investment of time, expertise, leverage and humanitarian resources will achieve the momentum needed,” said Ms Nusseibeh, who was the UAE's permanent representative to the UN until earlier this year.

The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed 14,000 Sudanese and created 10 million refugees since it began in April last year.

Ms Nusseibeh described the war “as a sign of growing global disorder”.

The diplomat represented the UAE at recent peace talks in Switzerland led by the US in which the international community demonstrated “its determination to address this humanitarian catastrophe”.

“We agreed on practical steps regarding humanitarian access and the protection of civilians. This includes permission for the UN to use the Adre border crossing into Sudan, and the facilitation of aid to people suffering famine in Zamzam camp and elsewhere in Darfur,” Ms Nusseibeh said after the meeting.

The UAE had played a “constructive role” in establishing the Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan format (Alps Group) that unlocked critical routes for aid deliveries and furthered the objective to win a ceasefire.

“We believe that the only way to achieve peace is through effective diplomacy where the warring parties must reach a full nationwide ceasefire,” she wrote.

She added that Emirates was committed to “intensifying diplomatic efforts” in order to especially protect women and children from harm, including sexual violence.

“The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is intolerable, and we remain focused on working towards securing an immediate and urgent ceasefire,” she said. “Both parties must come to the next round of talks. The people of Sudan deserve our full attention and collective efforts to end this war.”

The Alps Group helped to deliver an estimated 3,114 tonnes of supplies to approximately 300,000 people in Darfur last week, the UAE's Wam state news agency reported on Saturday.

Alps held its weekly virtual session on September 5 and urged the SAF and RSF to increase road access from Port Sudan on the Red Sea to Khartoum, the capital, through the city of Shendi, as well as from Khartoum to the southern cities of El Obeid, Kosti and Sennar, Wam said. They also called for more border crossings to be opened, including the Aweil crossing from South Sudan.