SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: African Arguments - Mediation Pitfalls: How the Jeddah Peace Talks Complicate Sudanese Politics
Arguing that the Jeddah peace talks are “out of step with the nuanced dynamics on the ground,” governance specialist Tahany Maalla argues that their design and structure contributed to prolonging the conflict in three significant ways.
Firstly, the focus on achieving ceasefire and coordinating humanitarian efforts at the expense of hosting political discussions is argued to have pushed Darfur’s armed movements to abandon neutrality with the aim of securing a stake in any future political agreement.
Secondly, the lack of a bridge connecting ceasefire and political negotiations is blamed for the “militarisation of civilian discourse,” which is “reinforcing militarised authority and legitimacy.”
Finally, Maalla attributes the peace talks to the conflicting parties both obstructing aid access and exploiting to enhance international legitimacy, citing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) redirecting their strategy to targeting aid distribution routes with intentions to assert itself as a de-facto authority by controlling aid flows.