Egypt Daily News – Recent negotiations held in Jeddah between the Sudanese government and American officials have concluded without any substantive agreement, complicating the upcoming talks scheduled for Geneva on August 14.
The Sudanese Sovereignty Council had dispatched a delegation to negotiate its participation in the Geneva discussions with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The head of the government delegation, Minister of Minerals Muhammad Bashir Abu Nammu, reported on social media that the talks ended without consensus regarding the Sudanese government’s involvement.
He indicated that the delegation would recommend to Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, not to participate.
A key point of contention was the American insistence on the delegation being seen solely as a representation of the army, rather than the entire Sudanese government.
Sources disclosed that the American side did not respond to the government’s demands, which included adherence to the Jeddah Agreement from May 11, 2023, and considerations for non-military representation in the talks with the RSF.
A diplomatic official mentioned a lack of optimism about the forthcoming talks but noted an interest in continuing preliminary discussions with the U.S., expecting higher-level communications to address gaps from the recent consultations.
Meanwhile, the RSF communicated its intention to maintain its negotiating delegation from the Jeddah talks for the upcoming Geneva discussions.
These negotiations are backed by the U.S. State Department, with the involvement of Saudi Arabia and oversight from the United Nations, African Union, UAE, and Egypt.
The backdrop to these negotiations is a civil war in Sudan, which has erupted between the Sudanese army and the RSF over power-sharing, resulting in thousands of casualties and widespread displacement among the Sudanese population, alongside significant destruction across the nation.
