Diplomatic efforts to end Sudan war intensify despite continued fighting: UN envoy

Diplomatic efforts to end Sudan’s civil war are increasing despite continued fighting, the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy for Sudan said Wednesday, highlighting new confidence-building initiatives.

“We also are witnessing more diplomatic efforts than earlier around Sudan,” Pekka Haavisto told reporters in Geneva following the sixth consultative meeting on Sudan, co-hosted by the UN and Switzerland.

Responding to Anadolu’s question about concrete progress compared with previous meetings, Haavisto pointed to growing international engagement with Sudanese political actors.

He highlighted a “successful” visit to Khartoum in September and meetings with political groups, women and youth representatives.

However, Haavisto warned that some parties in Sudan still believed they could achieve a military victory.

“We, the international community, are saying that there is no military solution to the conflict in Sudan,” he said, stressing the need for diplomatic negotiations.

Haavisto said the UN had begun exploring two confidence-building measures, including possible exchanges of prisoners of war and detainees, both civilians and soldiers.

The second initiative aims to facilitate students’ access to examinations regardless of where they live, he said.

He described the initiatives as “baby steps” compared with the destruction caused by the conflict.