Sudan’s Desperate Crisis: US Calls for Ceasefire Talks Amid Escalating Starvation and Violence
Washington, DC – The United States has called for ceasefire talks in August, mediated by the US, to address the devastating humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The conflict has led to widespread starvation, displacement, and violence, with over 25 million people trapped in a “spiral of deteriorating food security”.
Sudan is classified as the largest hunger and displacement crisis in the world, with the health system having collapsed. Reports from Sudanese medical professionals describe the situation as “devastating”, with communities facing “indiscriminate violence, killings, and torture”.
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has asked the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to participate in the talks, aimed at reaching a nationwide cessation of violence and enabling humanitarian access to those in need. The African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Nations will also participate as observers.
However, critics argue that the talks may not lead to a durable peace, as they do not address broader political issues and exclude women from the negotiating process. Kholood Khair, a Sudan-based analyst, warned that if the warring parties strike a deal, they will “turbo-charge their repressive acts against the Sudanese people”.
The conflict has been fueled by the war over minerals, particularly gold, with the RSF dominated by fighters who perpetrated the genocide in Darfur province. The Saudis have excluded Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, a prime supporter of the RSF, from the talks.
The international community has been criticized for its lack of effective response to the crisis, with some arguing that Sudan’s people rank at the bottom of the “taxonomy of suffering” compared to those in Ukraine or other European nations.
The US has announced a new package of humanitarian assistance for people affected by the conflict, including refugees in neighboring countries. However, the challenge will be getting aid to those who most need it, with the United Nations World Food Programme warning that it is unable to provide sufficient emergency food assistance due to the relentless violence and interference by the warring parties.
As the international community grapples with the crisis, Khair has called for substantive new directions in international approaches to Sudan, saying that the country’s “little footprint in both media circles and in policy circles” makes it unlikely that significant change will come soon.
