UN envoy spearheads multi‑party talks for Sudan ceasefire and political solution

In Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, a multilateral mediation team led by United Nations envoy Pekka Haavisto formally launched talks on Tuesday, in coordination with the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Arab League, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN). The talks aim to secure a cease‑fire and a political solution to Sudan’s three‑year civil war. Discussions focus on cease‑fire conditions between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), civilian protection mechanisms and a framework for future power‑sharing.

The Sudanese civil war erupted in 2020, pitting two major armed factions against each other in fierce fighting in the capital and across the country. The conflict has displaced more than 700,000 people and caused severe damage to infrastructure. Its roots lie in a contest for control of national resources—particularly oil and agricultural zones—between the military regime and militia groups, compounded by escalating ethnic and tribal tensions. The international community has repeatedly called for a cease‑fire, but mutual distrust has led to repeated breakdowns in earlier negotiation rounds.

The diverse composition of the mediation team reflects the conflict’s cross‑regional impact. The African Union, as the continent’s most representative political body, is responsible for coordinating member states’ common positions and providing resource support. IGAD brings its East‑African mediation experience, with particular attention to refugee flows and cross‑border security. The Arab League represents the political and economic concerns of the Arab world, especially regarding Sudan’s northern Muslim population. The European Union is focusing on humanitarian aid and reconstruction financing, emphasizing compliance with international law and human rights. The United Nations, leveraging its global legitimacy and peace‑keeping mechanisms, offers a mediation platform and monitoring framework. All parties stressed the need to first achieve a comprehensive cease‑fire and to establish a verification mechanism involving an international monitoring team to prevent a resurgence of violence.

Although the mediators reported an initial consensus on a cease‑fire timetable and the opening of humanitarian corridors, the two sides remain sharply divided on military deployment and political transition arrangements. The army insists on retaining control of key energy facilities to prevent external interference, while the RSF demands equal political representation in any future transitional government. The mediation team said it will submit a draft cease‑fire agreement within the next two weeks and will arrange for a third‑party verification team to visit conflict hotspots to ensure the agreement’s enforceability.

For Taiwan, Sudan’s peace process is not only linked to security and humanitarian conditions on the African continent, but also to Taiwan’s international participation and diplomatic strategy. A de‑escalation of the conflict would help stabilise Africa’s energy supply chain, reduce global oil and mineral price volatility and indirectly benefit Taiwan’s energy imports and semiconductor industry supply chain. At the same time, Taiwan’s role in international organisations and multilateral mechanisms could be enhanced by supporting United Nations and regional‑organisation mediation efforts, boosting its international image and diplomatic visibility and laying a more solid foundation for future trade and investment cooperation in Africa.