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Speaking to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York, Pekka Haavisto said the situation in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, had become increasingly concerning in recent days amid ongoing hostilities and frequent drone attacks.
“We are concerned about ongoing hostilities around the city, including frequent drone attacks,” he said. “This is already impacting civilians and impacting humanitarian aid to the city. Further escalation of the situation would endanger thousands of people.”
The envoy drew a similar picture to previous crises in Sudan, particularly in Darfur and around El Fasher, where violence against civilians triggered a large-scale humanitarian disaster.
“Unfortunately, this situation is somewhat reminiscent of previous developments in Darfur and around El Fasher and reminds us that there is an immediate risk to the civilian population.he said.
Haavisto revealed that he had spoken by telephone on Friday with General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), regarding developments in El Obeid. According to the envoy, Hemedti assured him that civilians would not be targeted.
“He confirmed to me that his intention was not to harm civilians, and his intention was to protect the humanitarian corridor to the city,” Haavisto said. “This is something we should follow as closely as possible.”
Drone strikes add new risks
The envoy stressed that the conflict in Sudan continues and warned that… the increasing use of drones adds a dangerous new dimension to war. He noted an increase in drone strikes targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
“In particular the use of drones as part of conflict has increased, and drone attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure have also increased,” he said.
Haavisto also highlighted the international dimension of the conflict, and noted that the drones used were not produced in Sudan.
Political talks resumed after three years
Despite the continued violence, Haavisto highlighted what he described as positive developments in the political sphere amid the ongoing war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) which erupted in April 2023.
He said that the Quintet – consisting of the African Union (AU), the East African bloc IGAD, the League of Arab States, the European Union (EU) and the UN – had successfully organized meetings that brought together Sudanese political parties, political groups and civil society organizations.
The first meeting was held in Berlin earlier this year, followed by another in Addis Ababa.
“This is the first time in three years that political parties and political actors have come together and tried to resolve the conflict and tried to find common ground for the peace process in Sudan,” he said. “I think this is already good news.”
The envoy said he plans to continue engaging with Sudanese stakeholders and regional actors, including through a visit to Nairobi and consultations with Chad, South Sudan and Uganda, all of which play a role in the conflict.
Haavisto reiterated UN support for the efforts of the “Quad” group – the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt – to guarantee a humanitarian ceasefire.
“Our hope is that the Quad can progress through a humanitarian ceasefire, which will help the civil situation on the ground a lot,” he said.
There is no military solution
When asked whether there was still hope for ending the conflict, Haavisto acknowledged that both sides still seemed to believe that military gains could be achieved.
“It seems both sides still think there is something that can be achieved militarily in this conflict,” he said. “Conflict will unfortunately only last as long as someone thinks that he or his group can achieve something through military means.”
However, he said regional governments were increasingly rejecting the idea of a military solution.
“This is a very clear message that they do not believe that a military solution is possible in this conflict,” Haavisto said after a recent visit to the Gulf states.
While recognizing the enormous challenges ahead, the UN envoy said that the resilience of the Sudanese people continued to provide grounds for cautious optimism. He mentioned women calling for reconciliation despite experiencing severe violence, and communities starting to rebuild their lives in parts of Khartoum.
“Communities have a very good ability after conflict to remain invested in their lives and livelihoods,” he said. “And this increases optimism in this sad situation.”
