Sudan peace talks begin in Switzerland in closed door format
(VOVWORLD) -The US-sponsored peace talks for Sudan began in Geneva on Wednesday despite the absence of Sudanese government representatives.
 People displaced by conflict and deadly floods sit at a makeshift campsite in the eastern city of Kassala, Sudan, August 11, 2024. (Photo: Getty Images/VNA)
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The talks are taking place with Sudan suffering one of the world's worst humanitarian crises since fighting broke out last April between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
A spokesman for the US mission in Geneva said the talks have started as planned, without any change to the non-participation of the Sudanese army. The talks, which could last up to 10 days, are being held behind closed doors at an undisclosed location in Switzerland.
The talks are being co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, with the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Nations serving as a steering group.
The fighting has forced one in five people to flee their homes, while tens of thousands have died. More than 25 million people in Sudan – more than half the population – face acute hunger.