Sudan's army-backed government has indicated it will stay away from US-sponsored peace talks scheduled to take place in Switzerland this week, a move that throws efforts to pause the war into doubt.
A statement on Sunday night strongly suggested the government did not intend to participate in the negotiations, stopping short of an outright rejection.
It listed, though, several contentious issues its delegates failed to resolve after two days of consultations with US officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on August 9 and 10.
"We have not given up hope that the SAF will attend the talks," Tom Perriello, US special envoy for Sudan, said on Monday, referring to the Sudanese Armed Forces.
Mr Perriello said the talks will go ahead even in the absence of representatives from the army-backed government, adding in this case they would focus on an "international and regional road map" to bring about an end to the fighting.
"We are 100 per cent confident that this will proceed," he said. "He will launch these efforts on August 14.
"We will not be able to do in-person mediated talks with parties if the parties are not there, even if one party is not there," the envoy said during a briefing at the US mission in Geneva.
Analysts say the army, bogged down in a civil war against a powerful paramilitary since April 2023, will have no choice but to negotiate a ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to reach the millions of Sudanese facing hunger and displacement.
"They will have to join sooner or later," Sudanese analyst Khaled Saad said of the army's reluctance to take part in the negotiations. "They will be complex, go on for a long time and will not produce quick results."
The situation in Sudan has the potential to become worse and eventually affect neighbouring nations, some of which are close US allies, he explained. "That, in turn, will prompt more US engagement and more pressure on parties to work towards a settlement," he added.
The consultations in Jeddah were requested by the Sudanese government. Their inconclusive end was announced by the head of the Sudanese delegation, Minerals Minister Mohammed Abu Nimo. US Special envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello, led the American side.
“The matter of Sudan's participation is now left to the leadership [army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan] and its assessment,” said Mr Abu Nimo, Sudanese Minister of Minerals. “There certainly are many details that prompted us to decide to end the consultations without an agreement.”
Mr Perriello said: "We are very clear that the priority in this process is to reach that cessation of hostilities, civilian protection, humanitarian access and enforcement.
"This is not the place for the political dialogue that the Sudanese people believe should be an inclusive political dialogue."
The US envoy said the army's presence was welcome as the mediation would be a "great opportunity" for all parties involved in the war.
"We will respect his sovereign decision to come or not come," Mr Perriello said of Gen Al Burhan.
The government later said the US side “did not commit to forcing the mutinous militia … to protect civilians in Sudan”, alluding to the paramilitary Rapid Support forces, which has been fighting the army since April last year and is led by Gen Al Burhan's former ally Gen Mohamed Dagalo.
“We reject the presence of any new observers or facilitators and welcome any initiatives that meet, respond and safeguard the nation's sovereignty and the dignity of the Sudanese people,” said the statement.
It also said the US side failed to justify to the Sudanese delegates the rationale behind creating a “new forum” in Geneva to replace the one created in Jeddah during the early days of the war and sponsored by only Saudi Arabia and the US.
The statement also said the Sudanese delegates also rejected what they called US insistence that the government's delegation in Geneva be led by a senior army officer to "facilitate the process".
Gen Al Burhan is known to have the last word on policy in a government where power essentially lies with him and his army lieutenants.
Representing the army by a government delegation enhances Gen Al Burhan's image as the legitimate ruler of Sudan, not the leader of one of the two warring sides, the analysts say.
“The US delegation also relied (during the Jeddah consultations) on incorrect information in assessing the situation in Sudan,” the statement said. It did not elaborate.
Representatives of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the African Union and the UN were expected to attend the Geneva talks.
Mr Perriello said the Geneva talks were an "extension of Jeddah". He highlighted the importance of Egypt and the UAE being present to ensure "there's not just a deal on paper" but they can also "become more like guarantors for the kind of outcomes the Sudanese people asked for".
The army, moreover, is opposed to the participation of the eight-nation regional group known as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.
"We are very, very serious about welcoming a senior SAF delegation that has decision-making authority in order to move forward at the pace we think is needed," the US envoy said.
The army has in the past accused the bloc, whose members are drawn from East and the Horn of Africa as well as the Great Lakes regions, of bias towards the RSF.
The RSF has said it would participate in the Geneva talks.
The war in Sudan started when weeks of tension between the army and the RSF over their role in a hoped-for democratic Sudan boiled over into violence, with fighting engulfing the capital Khartoum as well as western and southern Sudan.
Millions in Sudan now face hunger with famine declared in a large displacement camp in the western region of Darfur. At least 10 million people, about 20 per cent of the population, have been displaced by the fighting.
Both the army and the RSF are accused of war crimes, with the paramilitary facing charges of ethnically motivated attacks in Darfur and sexual assault. The army is accused of killing hundreds of civilians in air strikes targeting RSF positions located in populated areas.
The US and Saudi Arabia mediated ceasefire talks in Jeddah during the early days of the war, leading to a string of truces that proved short-lived or were completely ignored.
The army has since rejected several invitations from the mediators to resume the talks, insisting that the RSF must first vacate private homes and state installations they have occupied since the start of the war.
"Al Burhan will have to eventually return to negotiations because he realises there are consequences for not doing so," said prominent Sudanese analyst Osman Al Mirghany.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
McIlroy's struggles in 2016/17
European Tour: 6 events, 16 rounds, 5 cuts, 0 wins, 3 top-10s, 4 top-25s, 72,5567 points, ranked 16th
PGA Tour: 8 events, 26 rounds, 6 cuts, 0 wins, 4 top-10s, 5 top-25s, 526 points, ranked 71st
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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Key findings
- Over a period of seven years, a team of scientists analysed dietary data from 50,000 North American adults.
- Eating one or two meals a day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI, compared with three meals. Snacks count as a meal. Likewise, participants who ate more than three meals a day experienced an increase in BMI: the more meals a day, the greater the increase.
- People who ate breakfast experienced a relative decrease in their BMI compared with “breakfast-skippers”.
- Those who turned the eating day on its head to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, did even better.
- But scrapping dinner altogether gave the best results. The study found that the BMI of subjects who had a long overnight fast (of 18 hours or more) decreased when compared even with those who had a medium overnight fast, of between 12 and 17 hours.
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Results
2pm: Serve U – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Violent Justice, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
2.30pm: Al Shafar Investment – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: Desert Wisdom, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ahmed Al Shemaili
3pm: Commercial Bank of Dubai – Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Fawaareq, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
3.30pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
4pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Rakeez, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
4.30pm: Al Redha Insurance Brokers – Handicap (TB) Dh78,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Capla Crusader, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly
HAJJAN
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Look%20Both%20Ways
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More coverage from the Future Forum
Fixtures (all in UAE time)
Friday
Everton v Burnley 11pm
Saturday
Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 3.30pm
West Ham United v Southampton 6pm
Wolves v Fulham 6pm
Cardiff City v Crystal Palace 8.30pm
Newcastle United v Liverpool 10.45pm
Sunday
Chelsea v Watford 5pm
Huddersfield v Manchester United 5pm
Arsenal v Brighton 7.30pm
Monday
Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm
Company%20Profile
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Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
Awar Qalb
Director: Jamal Salem
Starring: Abdulla Zaid, Joma Ali, Neven Madi and Khadija Sleiman
Two stars
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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Afro%20salons
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Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Salem Rashid, Mohammed Al Attas, Alhassan Saleh
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Yahya Nader, Ahmed Barman, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah, Yahya Al Ghassani
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
SQUADS
UAE
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice-captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
Nepal
Paras Khadka (captain), Gyanendra Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Pradeep Airee, Binod Bhandari, Avinash Bohara, Sundeep Jora, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Basant Regmi, Pawan Sarraf, Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
