Khartoum: Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council on Sunday said the government will send a delegation to Cairo, Egypt, for talks on implementing the Jeddah agreement signed in May 2023.
“Based on contacts with the U.S. government, represented by the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello, and the Egyptian government requesting a meeting with a government delegation in Cairo to discuss the government’s vision on implementing the Jeddah agreement, the government will send a delegation to Cairo for this purpose,” the council said in a statement.
On August 14, U.S.-led peace talks on Sudan’s conflict commenced in Geneva in an effort to achieve a nationwide ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian access.
However, only the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) participated in the talks, while the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) declined to join, citing concerns regarding the agenda and participants of the negotiations.
The SAF and the RSF exchanged accusations of violating the Jeddah deal, which stipulates protecting civilians as well as all private and public facilities and not using them for military purposes.
Sudan has been witnessing a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023, resulting in the loss of at least 16,650 lives. An estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced in Sudan, with approximately 2.2 million others seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, according to most recent UN data.
Sudan’s ruling Transitional Sovereignty Council said in a statement that the delegation in Cairo would discuss “the government’s vision for implementing the Jeddah Agreement,” which was negotiated last year in a bid to protect civilians.
Though fighting has continued unabated, the warring parties had agreed in May 2023 during talks in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah to respect humanitarian principles and allow in badly needed aid.
The decision came “based on communication with the American government, represented by US envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello, and communication with the Egyptian government requesting a meeting with a government delegation in Cairo,” it added.
(IANS)
