Sudan’s military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has met with British Special Envoy Richard Crowder to discuss efforts to end the country’s civil war and the worsening humanitarian and human rights situation.
The meeting, held on Saturday, focused on Britain’s push for a Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned political dialogue aimed at ending the conflict and easing the suffering of civilians, according to a statement from Sudan’s Sovereign Council.
Crowder called for an inclusive and transparent political process that reflects the views of Sudanese people both inside the country and abroad.
He also welcomed peace initiatives by domestic stakeholders and commended government assurances that participants in planned consultations would be protected from prosecution.
A transitional committee has been established to consult political and civil society groups as part of efforts to create conditions for broader peace talks.
The discussions also touched on a recent report by a United Nations Human Rights Council fact-finding mission, which documented widespread abuses and alleged foreign interference in the conflict, including the recruitment of foreign fighters.
The UN panel said entities based in the United Arab Emirates had been involved in recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight alongside the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The allegations are being considered as part of ongoing discussions at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Britain has introduced a draft resolution seeking to extend the mandate of the UN fact-finding mission beyond its scheduled expiry in October.
However, Sudan’s military-led government has opposed the extension, arguing that existing UN human rights mechanisms operating in the country are sufficient.
Crowder warned that the destruction of critical infrastructure and the displacement of millions of people into neighbouring countries had further deepened what he described as the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis.
He said the Sudan crisis was expected to receive significant attention during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York.
The war between Sudan’s army and the RSF erupted in April 2023 following a power struggle between Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.
The conflict has killed thousands of people, displaced millions and triggered widespread hunger and humanitarian needs across the country.
