Minawi in US Outlines Government’s Conditions for Truce
Governor of Darfur Region Minni Arko Minawi affirmed that the Sudanese government’s approval of any truce or ceasefire is contingent on three non-negotiable fundamental conditions: the withdrawal of foreign fighters, the complete withdrawal of armed elements from cities, and disarmament, in order to ensure the return of civilians to their normal lives. He renewed the state’s categorical rejection of any project aimed at establishing a parallel state or partitioning Sudan.
Speaking at an event organized by the Darfur Sons Association in New York, Minawi explained that his participation in the meetings of the United Nations General Assembly came as part of the Sudanese delegation headed by General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, noting that political cross-currents prevented the President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council from delivering Sudan’s address, resulting in the Foreign Minister speaking on his behalf.
Minawi stressed that the Sudanese people’s primary demand at present is a truce, but questioned the seriousness of these demands in light of the realities on the ground, accusing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia of committing widespread violations in Darfur, including the burning of El-Fashir and Zamzam Camp and the rape of civilians. He affirmed that most of the region’s population has been displaced, with only two million people remaining out of a total of 12 million.
In a related context, the Governor of Darfur Region launched a sharp attack on the UAE’s role in mediation within the international Quad, affirming that Abu Dhabi “cannot be a neutral mediator” while it continues to provide logistical and military support to a party fighting the Sudanese people and destroying their resources. He stressed that ending the war requires serious political will that addresses the roots of the crisis and paves the way for an inclusive Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue without exclusion.