Berlin Conference on Sudan: Urgent humanitarian truce and efforts to end the war

All eyes are on the capital. German Berlin, which is hosting a new international conference on the Sudanese crisis today, Wednesday, is attempting to revive the humanitarian and political track after a full year since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023.

Reaching a humanitarian truce

During his speech at the conference, Massad Boulos, advisor to the US President on Arab and African affairs, stressed that the top priority in dealing with the crisis is to reach an urgent humanitarian truce that guarantees the delivery of aid to the affected civilians.

He stressed that the American position “does not take sides,” but rather focuses entirely on the humanitarian dimension, in light of suffering that he described as “beyond imagination.”.

He pointed out that this truce should not only be temporary, but should pave the way for a permanent ceasefire, thus putting an end to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country.

Arrival of aid

Pekka Haavisto, the UN Special Envoy to Sudan, said that the Berlin conference on the conflict in Sudan was crucial to supporting the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country and ending the war.

He added, “I believe that today’s meeting in Berlin is an excellent opportunity, once again, to call for a humanitarian truce that would enable humanitarian workers to deliver aid to Sudanese citizens, as well as to stop this type of warfare and the use of extremely dangerous weapons such as drones on the front lines.”.

The importance of the Berlin meeting

The conference will be attended by representatives of the United Nations, regional and international organizations, Sudanese civil society organizations, neighboring countries, EU member states, and international donors, in an effort to unify efforts and enhance international coordination.

The conference focuses on discussing the deteriorating humanitarian situation, while providing a space for Sudanese civil forces to present their visions regarding the transition to civilian rule and the building of a political system with democratic legitimacy.

The Berlin meeting comes as an extension of a series of previous international moves, most notably the Paris 2024 and London 2025 conferences, as the international parties this time seek to inject new momentum into the settlement process, both on the political and humanitarian levels.

The importance of the “Quartet Mechanism’s” participation in the conference is highlighted, as it is one of the most influential international initiatives, given its political weight and ability to influence the course of the crisis.

According to German sources, the conference aims to advance peace efforts, as well as mobilize more funding for relief programs, given the widening scope of the crisis. It also provides a platform for civilian representatives to consult on ways to achieve a civilian-led political transition.