The first session, focused on de-escalation, will provide an opportunity to discuss practical steps toward ending the conflict, said Pekka Haavisto, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan.
He urged delegates to identify measures and use their respective channels of engagement to build confidence and create conditions conducive to a comprehensive ceasefire.
The war entered its fourth year in April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The two groups were former allies who had jointly seized power in a 2021 coup.
Drone attacks targeting civilians and public infrastructure have become a defining feature of the conflict, drawing frequent condemnation from humanitarian and human rights officials.
“Sudan has become a drone war that kills mostly civilians,” said Alexandre Fasel, Switzerland’s State Secretary. Switzerland is co-hosting the Geneva meeting with the United Nations. “Famine-like conditions persist in Darfur, Kordofan and other parts of the country. The war is driving this hunger.”
Fasel stressed that international law protects non-combatants regardless of whether a ceasefire or political settlement has been reached. “The Geneva Conventions are very clear: the protection of civilians and humanitarian access must not wait for a ceasefire and a political solution. Civilians are suffering and dying today.”
Millions in need
According to the UN aid coordination office, nearly 34 million people across Sudan require humanitarian assistance. Fasel also cited warnings from UNICEF that eight million Sudanese children are out of school.
“This violates the right to education and poses an immense risk to Sudan’s future stability. Conflict-related sexual violence has re-emerged as a tactic to terrorise and humiliate civilians, often targeting people based on ethnicity or perceived affiliations,” Fasel said.
Alongside the ceasefire discussions, delegates are expected to consider a Sudanese-led transitional political process that reflects the country’s aspirations. Such a process would require inclusive and credible dialogue, Haavisto said.
“Our role is to support Sudanese efforts to shape their country’s shared future, with due regard for the diversity of voices and experiences,” he added.
Latest diplomatic talks
The Geneva gathering is officially known as the Consultative Meetings on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan. Previous sessions were held in Cairo in June 2024 and January 2026, Djibouti in July 2024, Nouakchott in December 2024, and Brussels in June 2025.
Neither the Sudanese government nor the RSF is directly represented at the meeting, which was established to allow mediators to coordinate their efforts.
On the margins of Wednesday’s meeting, Haavisto was also expected to hold discussions with key regional and international partners. These include the “Quad” mechanism, comprising the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, and the “Quintet” mechanism, which brings together the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the United Nations, the European Union and the League of Arab States.
The diplomatic talks followed a day of humanitarian discussions at UN Geneva involving delegations, senior UN officials and international non-governmental organizations working in Sudan, including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Sudan INGO Forum.
