Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Molly Phee will travel from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on May 12 for meetings at the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and other African partners to consult and coordinate next steps among regional and international partners who are united in seeking to help end the conflict in Sudan in line with the African Union’s April 20 communique.
Assistant Secretary Phee has been in Jeddah since May 6 as the head of a U.S. delegation working in partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to facilitate pre-negotiation talks between representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces on how to arrange an effective short-term ceasefire to enable the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian assistance and restore essential services. On May 11, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces signed a Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan recognizing the obligations of both sides under international humanitarian law and international human rights law and affirming the need to facilitate humanitarian action to meet the emergency needs of civilians. The facilitators and parties are now discussing modalities for implementing a short-term ceasefire. In line with the “step by step" approach agreed by the parties, the discussions in Jeddah are expected to address arrangements for subsequent talks.
The United States remains committed to consultation and coordination with regional and international partners who share the goal of helping Sudan end this devastating conflict and support the aspirations of the Sudanese people to establish civilian governance as soon as possible.
Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs