Humanitarian aid is set to flow into Sudan through two newly established routes after peace talks in Switzerland concluded with a partial agreement.
The discussions, which took place over ten days in Geneva, were mediated by the United States and involved representatives from countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
The mediators, collectively known as the “Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan (ALPS) Group,” secured agreements to open two key routes for aid delivery.
One route will pass through the Adre border crossing with Chad into Darfur, while the other will follow the Dabbah Road from Port Sudan on the Red Sea. Additional progress was made towards opening a third route via the Sennar Junction.
These efforts are aimed at alleviating the severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where millions face famine and disease due to ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The conflict, which began in April 2023, has resulted in the displacement of over 10.7 million people and tens of thousands of deaths.
Despite the progress in securing aid routes, the absence of the Sudanese army from the Geneva talks was a significant obstacle.
US Sudan envoy Tom Perriello expressed hope that the agreements would generate momentum for further progress but acknowledged the challenges ahead. He emphasized that the crisis in Sudan is so severe that multiple rounds of negotiations may be necessary to address the humanitarian needs adequately.
