THE HAGUE / GENEVA, 13 August 2024 – As Sudan’s warring parties, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), meet this week in Geneva for a new round of ceasefire negotiations, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) urges both parties to demonstrate true political will to end the violent conflict and take immediate measures to ensure the protection of civilians.
“The upcoming negotiations cannot be just another round of talks with no concrete outcome. Sudan’s warring parties must realize that nearly 500 days of fighting have brought only suffering to civilians and devastation to the country, including the unlawful killing of several thousand civilians, the displacement of millions, and serious human rights abuses,” says Hichem Khadhraoui, CIVIC’s Executive Director. “We call on both parties to the conflict and countries with political leverage to work together to find a pathway to an immediate ceasefire, ensure rapid and unhindered access to humanitarian aid across the country, and take strong measures to protect civilians.”
The talks, hosted by Switzerland and facilitated by the United States and Saudi Arabia, aim to reach a ceasefire between both parties, ensure safe and unrestricted humanitarian access for all those in need, and establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to oversee the implementation of any agreement.
Fighting between SAF and paramilitary RSF troops, which broke out on April 15th, 2023, has displaced nearly 10 million people across the country and left 26 million facing crisis-level hunger. Relief organizations working in Sudan have repeatedly raised the alarm over the devastating impact on civilians, in some cases describing this conflict as a “war against the people of Sudan.”
One coordinator at a displacement camp for the Regional Center for Training and Development of Civil Society—a partner organization of CIVIC—says, “The day-to-day suffering we are enduring across the country must end.”
Since previous rounds of negotiations held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, were unsuccessful, parties to the conflict have continued to target civilians and hinder access to humanitarian relief. Human rights groups and members of civil society have reported widespread sexual abuse, including rape and forced marriage of women and girls. Medical staff and facilities have also been regularly attacked, resulting in aid organizations suspending their operations, therefore depriving civilians of access to emergency care.
“Since its start, the conflict in Sudan has suffered with a woefully inadequate response from international actors to pressure warring parties to stop harming civilians,” says Khadhraoui. “We call on all members of the international community to use these talks as a global commitment to make the resolution of the conflict in Sudan—and the protection of civilians—a top priority.”
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Hajer Naili, Director of Communications, [email protected], +31.6.21.69.68.86 / +1 917 889 5982 (WhatsApp)
CIVIC Communications: [email protected]
Spokespersons available for interviews in English, French, and Arabic
ABOUT CIVIC
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that envisions a world in which no civilian is harmed in conflict. Founded in 2003 by Marla Ruzicka, CIVIC now has a presence in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Learn more at www.civiliansinconflict.org and follow CIVIC on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
