The United Nations is preparing to bring Sudan’s warring sides to the same table in Geneva, a rare glimmer of diplomacy in a war that has shredded the country and uprooted one of the world’s largest displaced populations. Secretary-General António Guterres confirmed the plan Thursday in an interview with Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya in Riyadh, though he offered no timeline for when the talks will begin.
Sudan has been locked in a devastating fight since April 2023, when the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces – once uneasy partners – turned their rivalry into a nationwide war. Tens of thousands have been killed, and more than 12 million people have been driven from their homes, a staggering upheaval that has pushed the country to the brink of famine and collapse.
“We will be having meetings in Geneva with both sides,” Guterres said, describing a UN push that aims to reopen channels of communication after months of battlefield stalemate and mounting civilian suffering.
Global concern spiked in October when reports of mass atrocities surfaced in El-Fasher, the army’s final foothold in Darfur. The city fell to the RSF after an 18-month siege that severed supply lines and left residents cut off from the outside world. Guterres said the UN has been promised access to the city “in the very near future,” though communications remain down, with RSF forces reportedly restricting access to Starlink satellite services.
