Sudan: EU convenes 4th Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts

Sudan: EU convenes 4th Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts

Brussels: Gafar Al-Sabaki

The European Union hosted and chaired the Fourth Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts for Sudan. The meeting brought together key multilateral organizations, including the African Union, IGAD, the League of Arab States, and the United Nations, as well as countries sponsoring peace initiatives, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the US. Participants agreed that high-level attention and action are urgently needed to address the ongoing war in Sudan, amid recent developments in the region.

The Consultative Group consists of the five key multilateral organisations – the African Union, the European Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the League of Arab States and the United Nations –, their chairing member states Angola, Djibouti and Iraq, as well as countries sponsoring peace initiatives – Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Previous meetings took place in Egypt, Djibouti and Mauritania.

Against the backdrop of the recent developments in Sudan and the wider region of the Sahel and the Red Sea, participants agreed that high-level attention and action remain urgent to address the ongoing war in Sudan.

In three targeted work sessions, the participants discussed concrete pathways towards de-escalation, civilian and political dialogue, as well as the imperative of humanitarian access and respect for International Humanitarian Law.

The cost of inaction in Sudan is not only manifested in the fact that the war has exacerbated the catastrophic humanitarian situation, which is the most devastating humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world. The reconstruction of damaged infrastructure will equally require a massive collective effort. The war has major security and developmental implications for the entire region and beyond.

The participants of the Consultative Group reiterated their commitment to the unity and territorial integrity of Sudan and the sovereignty of the Sudanese people. The participants of the Consultative Group concurred on the urgency of collective and coordinated action towards silencing the guns in Sudan, restoring the path towards a civilian transition and urgently addressing the future of Sudan’s war-affected population, in particular, women and youth.