Sudan Talks Resume in Jeddah with Aim to Deliver Aid, Reach Ceasefire 

Representatives of Sudanese parties sign the Jeddah Declaration in May. (Reuters)
Representatives of Sudanese parties sign the Jeddah Declaration in May. (Reuters)
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Sudan Talks Resume in Jeddah with Aim to Deliver Aid, Reach Ceasefire 

Representatives of Sudanese parties sign the Jeddah Declaration in May. (Reuters)
Representatives of Sudanese parties sign the Jeddah Declaration in May. (Reuters)

Talks between Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) resumed in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on Sunday several months after they were suspended.

A joint statement from the facilitators: Saudi Arabia, the United States, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the African Union said the talks sought to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

They sought to establish ceasefires and implement confidence-building measures. They were also seeking to work towards achieving a permanent cessation of hostilities.

The talks will not address broader political issues, said the statement.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry had welcomed the resumption of the talks, urging the army and RSF to follow through with the agreements reached in the Jeddah Declaration on May 11.

The Kingdom underlined its keenness on the unity of the Sudanese parties and the need to end the fighting and ease the suffering of the people so that the crisis can be resolved and a political solution can be reached to restore security, stability and prosperity to Sudan.

The United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan (UNITAMS) welcomed the resumption of the talks, hoping the new round of negotiations will lead to the implementation of the Jeddah Declaration.



GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
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GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi welcomed on Wednesday the agreement between the legitimate Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi militias to de-escalate the situation with regard to the Yemeni banking sector and airlines.

The agreement was announced by the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Tuesday.

Albudaiwi expressed the GCC's support for all regional and international efforts and the efforts led by the UN special envoy aimed at achieving peace and security in Yemen.

The announcement underscores the importance the international community attaches to the Yemeni crisis, he added, hoping the agreement will pave the way for Yemeni parties to start the political process, under UN auspices, to reach a comprehensive political solution that achieves security and stability in the country.

He reiterated the GCC's continued support and full solidarity with Yemen, its government and people, and its keenness to encourage all efforts to de-escalate and maintain stability in order to reach peace.