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August 14, 2024 (Washington) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Sudanese military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to attend the Geneva peace talks and assured him that the talks will focus on implementing the humanitarian Jeddah Declaration, the State Department said on Monday.
This was Blinken’s second call this month to Burhan, stressing the urgency of a ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access in Sudan.
The military leader had previously refused to attend the Geneva talks, citing concerns about the agenda and the involvement of the UAE, which is accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Blinken “stressed that the international community has come together to support these negotiations, co-chaired by Switzerland and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to achieve compliance with the Jeddah Declaration, a cessation of hostilities, the provision of humanitarian aid, and the establishment of mechanisms to monitor its implementation.”
Secretary of State Blinken stressed that the goals of the talks are consistent with the commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration and are aimed at the full implementation of the Jeddah Declaration.
Additionally, the U.S. Secretary of State stressed the urgent need for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to cease hostilities and ensure humanitarian assistance reaches the millions of Sudanese people in desperate need.
Representatives from the United States, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the African Union and the United Nations gathered in Switzerland on Wednesday for intensive diplomatic talks aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
According to a joint statement issued by the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, the first day of discussions focused on concrete steps to implement the commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration.
The talks included “group meetings with technical experts, which have produced concrete ideas for the parties to abide by and implement the commitments of the Jeddah Declaration. The negotiations will resume tomorrow,” the statement stressed.
In New York, a UN deputy spokesman said the UN delegation, led by special envoy Ramtane Lamamra, included representatives of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Ramallah expressed optimism that the US-Saudi-Swiss initiative will produce tangible progress towards an immediate ceasefire and improved humanitarian access.
The UN spokesman added: “He urged all parties to engage in a genuine and effective dialogue.”
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