US stages new ceasefire push for Sudan in Switzerland

Ceasefire attempt aims to pave way for unimpeded aid delivery

The United States has taken a central role in brokering a potential breakthrough in Sudan's ongoing conflict, inviting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for new ceasefire talks in Switzerland.

The talks, scheduled to begin August 14, represent a glimmer of hope for a nation grappling with a devastating 15-month-old conflict. This will be the third such attempt since the outbreak of war between the two parties in April of last year.

This development marks an escalation of U.S. involvement and a more hand-on approach to handling the conflict. Last year, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia acted as “co-facilitators” of failed talks hosted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A parallel process, led by the East African bloc IGAD, likewise failed to make headway and was described by some analysts as competing with the Jeddah initiative, rather than complementary.

Now, the U.S. is seeking leadership of the peace process.

The U.S. announcement no longer describes Saudi Arabia as a “co-facilitator,” of the talks, though it does label it as a “co-host” alongside Switzerland. Additionally, the U.S. described itself as a potential “mediator” for the first time, dropping the more non-committal description of “co-facilitator” used last year.

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has reached a catastrophic point. Millions teeter on the brink of starvation, with nearly 10 million people displaced by the ongoing violence. In a statement, the U.S. State Department acknowledged the gravity of the situation and invited the parties for talks in Switzerland.

“Over the past 15 months, the horrific conflict in Sudan has pushed millions to the brink of starvation and displaced nearly 10 million people. It continues to cause immeasurable suffering for the Sudanese people. The United States remains committed to working with partners to end this devastating war. Building from the earlier Jeddah processes co-facilitated with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United States has invited the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to participate in ceasefire talks mediated by the United States to begin on August 14, 2024, in Switzerland. We thank the government of Switzerland for offering to host the talks and welcome the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a co-host. The talks will include the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Nations as observers,” said the U.S. Statement.

This cessation of hostilities would pave the way for the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to those most desperately in need. The statement emphasized the importance of establishing a robust monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure the implementation of any ceasefire agreement.

“The talks in Switzerland aim to reach a nationwide cessation of violence, enabling humanitarian access to all those in need, and develop a robust monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure implementation of any agreement,” it said.

However, the U.S. emphasized that these talks are not intended to be a comprehensive solution to Sudan's political woes. The ultimate goal, as the statement reiterated, remains the return of civilian rule.

“These talks do not aim to address broader political issues. As the Sudanese people have long demanded, Sudan's governance must return to civilians and civilians must play the leading role in defining a process to address political issues and restore Sudan's democratic transition,” it said.

Highlighting the toll of human suffering the conflict has inflicted on the Sudanese people, the U.S. called upon the SAF and the RSF to attend the talks with a spirit of genuine commitment. Secretary Blinken stressed the urgency of the situation.

“The scale of death, suffering, and destruction in Sudan is devastating. This senseless conflict must end. The United States calls upon the SAF and the RSF to attend the talks and approach them constructively, with the imperative to save lives, stop the fighting, and create a path to a negotiated political solution to the conflict. We join the Sudanese people's calls for peace and a democratic transition, and we urge the parties to stop the fighting for the sake of a brighter future for Sudan,” the statement said.

RSF commander welcomes invitation

The paramilitary RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo who is popularly known as “Hemedti” welcomed the initiative and announced plans for his group to attend the talks.

In a statement on Telegram, Hemedti expressed hope that the talks would become “a major step” toward peace and stability in Sudan and create a new state based on “justice, equality and federal rule.”

“I welcome the invitation announced by Mr. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, and I declare our participation in the upcoming ceasefire talks on August 14, 2024, in Switzerland. I appreciate the efforts exerted by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland in organizing these crucial talks.  We share with the international community the goal of achieving a comprehensive ceasefire across the country, facilitating humanitarian access to all those in need, and developing a robust monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure the implementation of any agreement reached. The extent and scale of suffering and destruction in our country is immense, and we reaffirm our firm stance, as stated in the statement by the U.S. Secretary of State today, which is the insistence on saving lives, stopping the fighting, and paving the way for a peaceful, negotiated political solution that restores the country to civilian rule and the path of democratic transition. We are ready to engage in these talks constructively and look forward to them being a significant step towards peace, stability, and the establishment of a new Sudanese state based on justice, equality, and federal governance. We affirm our commitment to our people and the international community to participate in the talks on August 14 in Switzerland and look forward to working diligently for a peaceful and democratic future for our country,” said Hemedti in his statement.

While the SAF did not immediately make a comment on the invitation, the Associated Press quoted an SAF spokesman as saying that there is no decision made on whether the army will send a delegation to the talks.

This initiative is crucial but not unprecedented. Late last week, indirect talks facilitated by the United Nations between the SAF and the RSF concluded without reaching a humanitarian agreement. The discussions resulted in unilateral commitments for civilian safety and peace from the RSF, while the SAF did not comment on them.

The UN Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, described the discussions as an “encouraging initial step in a longer and complex process,” while acknowledging that unilateral commitments do not equate to agreements with the U.N.

A ceasefire talk mediated by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, collapsed last year with both sides accusing the other of cease-fire violations. SAF was the first to announce its decision to suspend its participation in talks, accusing the RSF of “lack of commitment in implementing any of the terms of the agreement and its continuous violation of the cease-fire.”