Geneva Talks Seek Path to Ceasefire in Sudan's Drone War
Nearly two dozen countries convened in Geneva on Wednesday for consultative talks on Sudan, urging de-escalation and civilian protection as the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and a rival paramilitary group enters its fourth year.
Switzerland and the United Nations co-hosted a round of Consultative Meetings on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan in Geneva, bringing together nearly two dozen countries to discuss pathways to a ceasefire and an inclusive political transition. The conflict began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) — former allies who had jointly seized power in a 2021 coup — and is now in its fourth year.
Neither the SAF nor the RSF attended, as the forum was designed for international mediators to align their efforts. Swiss State Secretary Alexandre Fasel described the conflict as a "drone war" that "kills mostly civilians," and warned that famine-like conditions persist in Darfur, Kordofan, and elsewhere across the country. He stressed that the Geneva Conventions require civilian protection and humanitarian access regardless of whether a ceasefire has been reached.
UN Personal Envoy Pekka Haavisto called on delegates to identify practical de-escalation measures and supported a Sudanese-led transitional political process reflecting the country's full diversity. The humanitarian toll is severe: nearly 34 million Sudanese need aid and eight million children are out of school. Previous consultative sessions were held twice in Cairo, and once each in Djibouti, Nouakchott, and Brussels.
On the sidelines, the envoy was expected to meet with the "Quad" grouping — the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt — and a "Quintet" comprising the African Union, IGAD, the UN, the EU, and the Arab League.
