U.S. Envoy urges action amid Sudan’s escalating conflict

The U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello, has expressed concern over the lack of political will among Sudan’s warring factions to end the devastating conflict that has engulfed the country since April 2023. Speaking Thursday after his first visit to Sudan since assuming office, Perriello warned that the ongoing crisis, marked by atrocities and mass displacement, demands urgent global attention.

Sudan descended into chaos following the eruption of violence between the military, led by General Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. What began as a power struggle in the capital, Khartoum, has spiraled into widespread devastation across the nation, including Darfur and other regions.

The conflict has claimed over 20,000 lives, displaced 14 million people—about 30% of Sudan’s population—and left more than 26.5 million facing acute hunger, according to the United Nations. The U.N. has warned that Sudan teeters on the brink of famine, while reports of atrocities, including sexual violence and civilian massacres, have further compounded the humanitarian disaster.

“The scale of suffering is almost incomprehensible,” Perriello said, noting that the death toll likely exceeds current estimates.

During his visit to Port Sudan, Perriello met with General Burhan and members of Sudanese civil society. However, he expressed frustration at the lack of commitment from both sides to resolve the conflict.

“We do not yet see enough political appetite from the parties to find a real resolution to this conflict,” he said, emphasizing that any solution must prioritize returning control to the Sudanese people.

Attempts to broker peace, including U.S.-mediated talks in Geneva earlier this year, have repeatedly failed. The most recent effort collapsed in August when the Sudanese military refused to participate, leading to intensified fighting.

The U.S. envoy also highlighted the role of foreign nations in exacerbating the conflict by supplying arms to both factions, despite a U.N. arms embargo.

“We have way too many countries pouring weapons into Sudan when they should be sending food and medicine,” Perriello remarked, criticizing nations for exploiting Sudan’s fragility for their own interests.

The RSF has reportedly received support from Russia’s Wagner mercenary group and the United Arab Emirates, while Burhan has strengthened ties with Egypt and, reportedly, Iran. The UAE denies allegations of arming the RSF, though a U.N. panel has deemed the claims credible.

Despite the grim situation, Perriello stressed the importance of international efforts to provide humanitarian aid. He engaged with aid workers to improve the delivery of food and medical supplies to the millions affected by the conflict.

“This is one of the largest-scale disasters I’ve worked on, and yet it’s receiving so little attention,” said Perriello, who has previously handled crises in Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

As Sudan’s humanitarian crisis deepens, Perriello’s plea for action underscores the urgent need for global solidarity and effective solutions to bring an end to the suffering.