UN Envoy Ramtane Lamamra Calls for Urgent Action to End Sudan’s War, Protect Civilians
The United Nations envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, said Tuesday he is working to influence the international powers fueling the conflict, as Sudan’s civil war nears its third year.
Speaking after talks with the Forces for Freedom and Change–Democratic Bloc (FFC-DB), a key army ally, Lamamra stressed the need for a “qualitative leap” to stop the suffering of the Sudanese people.
“We are working to influence the international positions that have a role in the ordeal of the Sudanese people,” he told journalists in Port Sudan. “We must exert more effort so that the third year of the war’s outbreak does not become normalised.”
The remarks came as Sudan’s army accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while the army itself is reportedly supported by Iran and Egypt.
Lamamra said the UN’s priorities include protecting civilians, easing the humanitarian crisis, and accelerating a resolution to the war. He pointed to worsening conditions in El Fasher, North Darfur, where RSF fighters have tightened their siege since April 2023, blocking aid, medicine, and food while attacking residential areas and the Abu Shouk camp.
Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minnawi, whose movement belongs to the FFC-DB, confirmed that discussions focused on saving El Fasher. He said Lamamra reaffirmed his respect for Sudan’s sovereignty while urging immediate action.
Bloc spokesman Mohamed Zakaria added that they proposed a two-track dialogue: a political track for all civil and political forces, and a security track between the warring parties, based on the Jeddah Declaration signed in May 2023.
Zakaria also called for the African Union to lead future talks, with Egypt and Saudi Arabia playing a facilitating role. But he voiced concern over Lamamra’s recent meetings with the RSF-backed “Tasis” coalition, saying engagement with such groups contradicts the UN’s stance of not recognizing parallel governments.
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