Sudan criticizes US for pushing ahead with Geneva talks without meeting conditions

August 11, 2024 (Port Sudan) – The Sudanese government on Sunday criticized the United States for holding humanitarian talks with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Geneva despite several conditions not being met.

The government said in a statement on Sunday that the US delegation at the Jeddah talks did not provide a reason for the creation of a new platform after the United States sent an invitation to Geneva for negotiations on the 14th of this month.

A Sudanese government delegation and U.S. special envoy for Sudan Tom Perillo held talks in Jeddah on Sunday but failed to agree on the negotiating agenda and observers.

Based on the consultations held in Jeddah, the Sudanese government said in a statement that it noted the lack of “commitment by the US delegation to push the rebels to abide by the Jeddah Declaration, which includes commitments to protect Sudanese civilians and is based on international humanitarian and human rights law.”

It also noted that the US delegation insisted that the UAE, which has been accused of supporting the RSF, attend the meeting as an observer.

The government statement also said that “the US delegation did not provide any justification for the establishment of a new platform” and that it relied on false information in its assessment of the situation in Sudan.

However, the government has not publicly rejected the new Geneva process.

“The Sudanese government, representing the aspirations and hopes of the Sudanese people who have suffered all forms of violence and serious violations, reiterates its commitment to the implementation of the Jeddah Declaration … and rejects the presence of any new observers or mediators,” the statement read.

The statement concluded by welcoming initiatives that “uphold national sovereignty and the dignity of the Sudanese people” and suggested that the US initiative did not meet these conditions.

The rejection of the US proposal further casts doubt on the prospects for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, which has been raging in the country since April, causing widespread displacement and a humanitarian crisis.