Commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, said he is ready to “stop the war and cooperate to deliver humanitarian aid to all areas affected by the conflict in the country,” in talks with the United Nations secretary-general’s personal envoy, Pekka Haavisto.
Dagalo, who heads a parallel government, met Haavisto late Monday in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, according to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
In a statement on Facebook, Hemedti said he discussed with Haavisto “political and security developments, as well as the humanitarian situation and efforts aimed at achieving peace and stability.”
He added that his government, based in the Darfur city of Nyala, is “fully prepared to cooperate with the United Nations and work to provide the necessary assistance to help alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people.”
Hemedti briefed the UN envoy on “the causes of the war ignited by the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies within the Sudanese army,” reiterating his government’s commitment to “the unity of the country to block attempts aimed at fragmenting Sudan and dismantling its social fabric.”
The RSF leader stressed “the importance of conducting a transparent and fair investigation into the violations suffered by Sudanese civilians, foremost among them the use of chemical weapons,” describing this as “a fundamental step toward ending the war and achieving peace in the country — a demand that is non-negotiable under any circumstances.”
Hemedti renewed his call for the United Nations to open offices in areas under the control of his government, known as Tasis, in the Darfur and Kordofan regions to deliver humanitarian assistance to civilians there.
For his part, Haavisto affirmed the UN’s efforts to end the war and achieve peace in Sudan.
He welcomed the RSF leader’s response to the meeting, during which they exchanged views on the overall situation in Sudan, noting that he has listened to a number of Sudanese parties as part of efforts to identify the most effective paths toward resolving the crisis.
Dujarric said the meeting between the UN envoy and the RSF commander provided a constructive opportunity to exchange views and explore practical ways to de-escalate and ensure the continued protection of civilians.
In a press briefing, he added that all Sudanese parties the envoy met in Nairobi expressed readiness to cooperate with the United Nations. He pointed in this regard to Haavisto’s meeting last week in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, with army commander and Sovereign Council chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, during which they discussed international efforts to end the war.
The UN spokesman renewed the organization’s call on the parties to the conflict in Sudan to “immediately cease hostilities, protect civilians and infrastructure, and ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access.”
He also stressed the need for additional funding for humanitarian assistance in Sudan, estimating that $2.9 billion is required to reach more than 20 million people across the country.
