UN envoy presses Sudan leader on truce and prisoner exchange

The UN special envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, has urged de-escalation of hostilities, and the protection of civilians in talks with Sudan’s army chief and Sovereignty Council chair, Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, while raising the prospect of exchanging prisoners and civilian detainees.

Haavisto held a series of meetings in Khartoum on Sunday with Burhan, who heads the Sovereign Council and the army, Prime Minister Kamil Idris, Finance Minister and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader Jibril Ibrahim, focusing on developments in the country, reducing tensions, ongoing consultations on dialogue, and ways to end the war and achieve peace in Sudan.

In a statement after meeting El Burhan, Haavisto says dialogue is the path to sustainable peace and a comprehensive ceasefire. He says he is ready to cooperate and engage closely with all Sudanese parties and stakeholders, and to work with partners in the Quintet to advance the political process, ensuring that it is inclusive, integrated, and responsive to the aspirations of the Sudanese people.

Haavisto says he conveyed important messages to El Burhan concerning de-escalation and the protection of civilians.

“I look forward to continuing our meetings towards an exchange of prisoners and civilian detainees, in close cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross,” he says.

Sovereignty first

Prime Minister Kamil Idris told the UN envoy that Sudan’s leadership will not compromise on national sovereignty or sovereign decision-making, stressing the country’s complete rejection of all forms of foreign intervention.

Jibril Ibrahim told the envoy that the Sudanese Armed Forces are the national institution constitutionally responsible for protecting the country and defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

JEM rejects wider arms embargo

Ibrahim says the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rejects proposals to expand the arms embargo currently imposed on Darfur to cover the whole of Sudan.

Such a measure, he says, would conflict with national sovereignty and restrict the armed forces’ ability to carry out their constitutional duty of protecting the country.

He calls on the United Nations to welcome and support the Sudanese dialogue initiative, and to work with Sudanese parties to develop it into an inclusive, Sudanese-owned political process capable of ending the war and laying the foundations for lasting peace and a stable state.

Note: This report has been translated from Arabic with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools, and subsequently reviewed and adapted by a human editor before publication.