Ending peace initiatives in Sudan: A challenge of coordination and effectiveness
The situation in Sudan is most worrying. The years-long civil war has ravaged the country, causing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Faced with this tragic situation, many initiatives for peace have multiplied, but they jostle and often neutralize each other. The observation is clear: there is an urgent need to better coordinate these efforts to achieve a lasting solution.
It is in this context that a meeting was held on Friday September 22 in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. All countries involved in the conflict in Sudan found themselves with a common goal: to improve their coordination to end this civil war. Participants include Sudan’s neighboring countries, such as Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Chad, as well as the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), bringing together seven East African countries. Only the Central African Republic was missing.
This meeting also saw the participation of mediator countries such as the United States, Great Britain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. However, it is important to emphasize that this meeting was initiated by France and Germany.
The observation that led to this initiative is simple: too much mediation kills peace. Indeed, the more actors there are who try to facilitate negotiations, the more the belligerents take the opportunity to play with pacification efforts. They pretend to want peace while continuing hostilities on the ground.
In this perspective, the participants expressed their desire to better coordinate their initiatives and to meet regularly to take stock of the progress of the negotiations. It is undeniable that this reinforced coordination is essential to avoid duplication of efforts and to promote a concerted and effective approach.
The New York meeting was therefore an opportunity to underline the urgency of acting and finding concrete solutions to end the civil war in Sudan. More than ever, it is crucial that all stakeholders work together, putting aside their individual interests, and focus on the common goal of bringing peace to this region rife with violence and suffering.
It is clear that the task will not be easy, but by joining forces and establishing effective coordination, the countries involved in this meeting can truly make a difference and pave the way to a better future for the Sudanese people.
It is more than urgent to act, because every day that passes, lives are destroyed and suffering increases.. The time has come to put words into action and redouble our efforts to end this civil war which has lasted too long. The hope is there, it is up to us to seize it and make it a reality to create a future of peace and prosperity for Sudan. Together we can make it happen.