Fresh talks in Geneva bring nearly two dozen countries together to seek an end to Sudan’s devastating conflict, but the absence of the warring parties exposes the challenge of turning international concern into a workable peace agreement.
The United Nations and Swiss officials have renewed diplomatic efforts to end Sudan’s war, convening nearly two dozen countries in Geneva on 21 October 2026 to discuss a pathway towards a ceasefire and a peaceful political transition.
The sixth Consultative Meeting on Sudan comes as the conflict, which began in April 2023, continues to devastate civilian communities and threaten regional stability. However, neither the Sudanese military nor its rival paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), was represented at the meeting, raising questions about how diplomatic proposals can translate into commitments on the battlefield.
Sudan’s war has produced what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 34 million people need assistance, tens of thousands have been killed, and approximately 11 million people have been displaced.
The conflict has also evolved, the Swiss State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Alexandre Fasel warned that the war has increasingly become a drone conflict, with civilians bearing much of the human cost. Famine-like conditions persist in Darfur, Kordofan and other parts of the country, where fighting continues to drive hunger and disrupt access to essential supplies.
The consequences extend beyond Sudan’s borders. Fasel warned that cross-border spillovers and regional dynamics pose growing risks to neighbouring countries, making the conflict not only a domestic security emergency but also a wider threat to regional stability.
These developments increase the urgency of diplomacy. Prolonged warfare risks deepening humanitarian needs, destabilising border communities and placing additional pressure on countries already dealing with insecurity and displacement.
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