General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, announced his intention to participate in ceasefire negotiations scheduled for next month in Switzerland.
Dagalo announced this on a socia medi post on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
Talks being facilitated by the United States and Saudi Arabia, aim to resolve 15 months of intense conflict between Dagalo’s paramilitary group and the Sudanese army.
According to the US State Department, the discussions seek to build upon previous dialogues that stalled in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, late last year. Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the State Department, emphasised that a military solution to Sudan’s conflict is not viable.
Instead, the talks supported by key international stakeholders, are viewed as the sole path toward ending the crisis, preventing the spread of famine, and reinstating civilian governance.
Dagalo expressed optimism in his social media post, viewing the talks as pivotal towards achieving peace and stability in Sudan, envisioning a new state grounded in justice, equality, and federal governance.
He affirmed his alignment with the international community’s objective of establishing a nationwide ceasefire and ensuring humanitarian access for all in need.
The post reads; “I welcome the invitation announced by Mr. @SecBlinken, 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.”
However, participation from the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, remains uncertain.
Officials from the Sudanese army indicated to the Associated Press that no decision has been finalized regarding their attendance at the talks, set to commence on August 14th at an undisclosed location in Switzerland.
The conflict in Sudan has exacted a severe toll, with over 14,000 lives lost and 33,000 injured, according to the United Nations, though human rights advocates suggest the actual figures may be higher.
The crisis has triggered the world’s largest displacement emergency, displacing over 11 million people, accompanied by reports of widespread sexual violence and potential crimes against humanity.
Recently, international experts warned of an impending famine threatening 755,000 individuals in Sudan in the coming months. Last week, the UN’s envoy for Sudan convened indirect talks in Geneva, focusing on humanitarian aid and civilian protection, as part of ongoing efforts to mitigate the crisis.
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