Sudan’s warring parties invited to U.S.-mediated ceasefire talks in Switzerland

WASHINGTON – The United States has invited Sudan’s military and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to ceasefire talks mediated by Washington that will begin on August 14 in Switzerland, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.

“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,” Blinken said in a statement.

“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,” he added.

RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo said on Wednesday the group would “constructively participate” in the talks to achieve “a comprehensive ceasefire across the country and facilitate humanitarian access to all those in need.”

“We reaffirm our firm stance … 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,” Dagalo said in a statement.

The talks will include the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations as observers, Blinken said. Saudi Arabia will co-host the discussions, he added.

The war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has displaced nearly 10 million people, sparked warnings of famine and led to waves of ethnically driven violence.