دThe UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, said that “extensive diplomatic efforts are currently underway to reach a peaceful solution to the war.”
He noted that “both sides of the conflict continue to rely on achieving military gains to strengthen their positions ahead of any negotiations.”
In an interview with UN News at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Haavisto explained that the General Assembly’s High-Level Week witnessed intensive diplomatic activity on Sudan, including meetings of the Quad, comprising the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as well as the Quintet, which also includes the African Union, IGAD, the League of Arab States, the European Union and the United Nations.
The UN envoy expressed some optimism, citing what he described as small confidence-building steps, including the establishment of mechanisms by both sides of the conflict to discuss the issue of civilian detainees, the possibility of prisoner exchanges, and the release of civilians.
