US-sponsored talks to halt the 16-month conflict in Sudan kicked off in Geneva Aug. 13, but there was a no-show from the army despite all the fanfare. There had been hope that the new venue and buy-in from regional powers [13] supporting the warring factions—including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates [14]—would give the process a better chance of succeeding than prior, disjointed mediation attempts. But the army's command remains internally divided on the issue of dialogue—especially while it is on the back foot militarily—and is wary of the US, which it sees as a perennial critic. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF [15]), the army's rival, is meanwhile being accused of attending talks only to launder its image [16] and bolster its international legitimacy. Grassroots civilian groups also remain deeply wary of another potential power-sharing accord that strengthens the military generals at their expense.
The political maneuvering comes as nationwide displacement tops 10 million [15] and famine has been declared in the western Darfur region. The army-aligned government has denied that famine is taking place, though it is promising to ease humanitarian access restrictions [18] into Darfur after blocking a key supply route from Chad for the past six months.
From The New Humanitarian [19], Aug. 16. Used with permission.
