Sudan army chief, British envoy discuss efforts to end civil war

Sudan's military chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, held talks with British Special Envoy Richard Crowder on Saturday, focusing on resolving the country's civil war and the dire situation detailed in a recent United Nations rights inquiry. Crowder emphasized Britain's priority of halting the conflict and alleviating civilian suffering through a "Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned dialogue," as stated in a Sovereign Council statement.

He advocated for an inclusive, transparent political process that reflects Sudanese perspectives both within the nation and abroad. Crowder acknowledged domestic stakeholders' initiatives and commended government assurances to shield participants in upcoming consultations from prosecution. A transitional committee was assigned to engage political and civil society groups to prepare for peace negotiations.

The discussion also covered a UN Human Rights Council fact-finding mission report, which revealed extensive abuses and foreign involvement, such as the recruitment of foreign fighters by UAE-based entities to support the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Britain has submitted a draft resolution to extend the mission's mandate beyond its October expiration, but Sudan's military-led government opposes it, arguing that existing UN human rights bodies are sufficient.

Crowder warned that the infrastructure damage and massive displacement to neighboring countries had exacerbated the world's gravest humanitarian crisis, anticipating that the issue would be a significant topic at upcoming UN General Assembly meetings in New York.