July10,2023:The United Nations has warned Sudan is on the brink of a “full-scale civil war”, as Egypt said it would host a summit on July 13 to discuss ways to end a 12-week conflict between rival Sudanese military factions.
The summit in Cairo on Thursday will aim to “develop effective mechanisms” with neighbouring states to settle the conflict peacefully, in coordination with other regional or international efforts, Egypt’s presidency said in a statement on Sunday.
Diplomatic efforts to halt fighting between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary have so far proved ineffective, with competing initiatives creating confusion over how the warring parties might be brought to negotiate.
Neither Egypt, which is seen as the Sudanese army’s most important foreign ally, nor the United Arab Emirates, which has had close ties to the RSF, have so far played a prominent public role.
The two countries were also not involved in talks in Jeddah led by the United States and Saudi Arabia that adjourned last month after failing to secure a lasting ceasefire.
Sudanese delegations, including from civilian parties that shared power with the army and RSF after the overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir four years ago, are expected to meet on Monday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa for exploratory talks.
The initiative came amid clashes on Sunday between the army and the RSF in El Obeid, southwest of Khartoum, as well as in the south of the capital, residents said.
Sudan’s health ministry on Saturday said a strike by fighter jets in Omdurman, part of Sudan’s wider capital, left 22 people dead.
