Efforts to end Sudan’s protracted conflict resumed in Cairo on Wednesday, with Egypt and the United Nations urging the warring parties to agree to a nationwide humanitarian truce as the war approaches its third anniversary. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty underscored that Sudan’s unity and state institutions are “red lines,” rejecting any recognition of parallel authorities or militias, and affirming Egypt’s readiness to take necessary measures to preserve stability.
Speaking alongside UN envoy Ramtane Lamamra at the fifth Consultative Mechanism meeting on peace efforts, Abdelatty said regional consensus exists around an immediate humanitarian truce, including limited withdrawals and the creation of safe aid corridors. Lamamra described diplomacy as a still-viable pathway to peace.
The conflict between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has raged since April 2023, fueling mass atrocities and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Despite repeated failed negotiations, limited progress was reported on aid access: more than 1.3 metric tons of humanitarian supplies entered el-Fasher in North Darfur on Wednesday, the first such delivery since the city was besieged 18 months ago and later fell to the RSF in October.
The United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have proposed a humanitarian truce, reportedly accepted by both sides, though fighting continues. Washington has accused the RSF of genocide in Darfur, while rights groups and international bodies have documented abuses by both the RSF and the military.
Meanwhile, violence persists. At least 19 civilians were killed in ground operations in Jarjira, North Darfur, on Monday, according to the UN’s humanitarian office. A drone strike on the same day in Sinja, capital of Sennar province, killed at least 10 people and injured nine others, with Sudanese medical groups blaming the RSF and describing the attack as a war crime. Recent fighting has displaced more than 8,000 people in North Darfur, with many fleeing internally or crossing into Chad.
The renewed talks reflect a cautious diplomatic push amid relentless violence, as regional and international actors seek to stabilize Sudan and avert further humanitarian collapse.
