6th Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (Introductory remarks)

Excellencies, bonjour, mesdames et messieurs, et bienvenue dans la salle du Conseil. A warm welcome to the sixth consultative meeting on enhancing coordination of peace initiatives and efforts in Sudan. Before we start, allow me to give you some short information on the process of this opening session. During the opening remarks of myself and Mr. Havisto, media will be present in the room. They will be asked to leave right after the opening statement and after having taken the family photo, which we will take here. in the hall. We're not going outside to the lobby for this family photos and only of course the head of delegations will move forward towards the flags for the photo. And afterwards we will proceed without the press with the agenda for our further discussions. Now, The war in Sudan is in its fourth year. In many aspects, however, the conflict has changed its face since it began in April 2023. The war in Sudan has become a drone war. It kills mostly civilians. Famine-like conditions persist in Darfur, the Kordofan state, and elsewhere in the country. It is the war that drives this hunger. Cross-border interlinkages and regional dynamics are worrisome. We are hearing of spillovers into neighboring countries. The war is not only affecting people in Sudan, it is a threat to regional stability. Today, we are at a different point from where we were 1,285 days ago. The war has become immensely complex and so much deadlier. Sudan is experiencing one of the world's worst humanitarian and protection crises. Over 15 million people have been displaced within the country and across its borders. That is 1.6 times the population of Switzerland. And OCHA reports that almost 34 million Sudanese children, women and men need assistance as of May 2026. And that is 3.7 times the entire population of Switzerland. As yesterday's briefing highlighted, once again, it is very clear who is bearing the brunt of this war, the civilians. According to UNICEF, 8 million Sudanese children remain out of school. This is not only a violation to the right of education, but an immense risk factor for a future stable Sudan. Conflict related sexual violence has reemerged as a tactic to terrorize and humiliate the civilian population, often targeted along ethnicity or perceived affiliation. We are meeting today in Geneva. The Geneva Conventions are very clear. The protection of civilians and humanitarian access must not wait for a ceasefire and a political solution. Civilians are suffering and dying today. Parties to the conflict must protect civilians at all times and under any circumstances, and facilitate their access to humanitarian aid. We may not all have identical perspectives on the dynamics in Sudan, but I believe that we all agree that there will be no military solution to this war. We also agree that we are all committed towards supporting dialogue, Sudanese driven and inclusive, as a pathway to durably end the fighting. No delegation in this room will be immune to the consequences of a fractured Sudan marked by protracted violence that we are currently witnessing. I encourage all of us gathered here to be courageous and agree stepping up our collective efforts. I would like to thank the personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General Pekka Haavisto, for bringing us together for the sixth consultative meeting on enhancing coordination of peace initiatives and efforts in Sudan. It is not without symbolic value that this meeting takes place in the UN's Palais des Nations in Geneva. We appreciate the renewed push by the United Nations towards a more determined and cohesive response to the situation in Sudan. We are proud to co-host this meeting. We are specifically delighted to have you here in this historic meeting hall, which has been freshly opened now for us. We are the first meeting to convene here after the renovation of the Palais des Nations and indeed this hall. This is the old council chamber of the League of Nations. It is now called the Disarmament Hall, as it hosts the meetings of the Conference on Disarmament. Keeping in mind what's happening in Sudan since more than three years, so this is certainly a fitting place for our discussions. Sudan is a priority for Switzerland's humanitarian aid and peace policy. In response to the war, Switzerland has substantially increased its humanitarian engagement. Since the onset of the conflict, we provided approximately 215 million Swiss francs, that's $260 million, in support to partner organizations operating in Sudan and neighboring countries. This is our single largest humanitarian response in Africa. However, we cannot address the situation in Sudan with humanitarian means alone. Building on our role as bridge builder and enabler of discussions and dialogues, we also engage in the quest for political solutions. We bring together Sudanese informally to help prepare the grounds for the formal political negotiations. Today's agenda will cover amongst other topics de-escalation efforts and developments regarding the political process. There are more and more voices, both Sudanese and international, highlighting the need to better interlink security, political and humanitarian tracks. It is the position of Switzerland that a peace process can only work effectively if these tracks are closely intertwined. This is a must so that the unity of the country can be ensured while enabling a sincere dialogue about the root causes behind the cyclical conflicts that Sudan has faced over recent decades. I look forward to hearing your view on this. We are convinced that the situation in Sudan requires us all to openly talk to each other and to coordinate our actions. It is in this spirit that we are convening here for this meeting. And in closing, can I invite you to take a moment to reflect on the artwork in this chamber, in this room, which was inaugurated almost precisely 90 years ago, on the 2nd of October, 1936. The murals illustrate the changing face of human progress through four themes: health, technology, freedom and peace. Standing up, I clearly realize what is expected of us all today here. Let us reach out, join hands, and get to work towards peace in Sudan. Je vous remercie. And with that, I would like to hand over to the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for his opening remarks. Monsieur Avisto, s'il vous plait.

Merci, and State Secretary Farsell, Your Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. Good morning to everyone, and thank you for joining us today. Your presence reaffirms your commitment to Sudan and to its people at a time of profound suffering and uncertainty. This meeting offers an opportunity to take stock of our collective efforts, reflect on the challenges before us, and consider how we can strengthen coordination among our respective initiatives. Each member state and multilateral organization brings a distinct mandate, perspective, and capacity. Our shared responsibility is to ensure that these contributions reinforce one another and advance a common purpose. At the heart of that purpose must be an unwavering commitment to ending the war, alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people, and upholding their right to a future of peace, security, and dignity in a united Sudan. I reiterate this because it's the message I have heard consistently from Sudanese people in Sudan, across the region, and further afield. Whatever their circumstances, their appeal is clear: this war must end. Their voices must guide our deliberations, and their aspirations must remain the measure of our progress. Our first session devoted to de-escalation will offer an opportunity to explore practical ways forward. I hope we can identify mutually reinforcing steps that, pursued through our respective channels of engagement, can build confidence and help create conditions conducive to a comprehensive ceasefire. We must also consider how these efforts can open the way towards a transitional political phase that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people. Our second session will therefore focus on the foundations of an inclusive and credible dialogue capable of advancing a Sudanese-led political process. Our role is to support the Sudanese in shaping their country's shared future with due regard for the diversity of their voices and experiences. Excellencies, The regional dimensions of this conflict also require our sustained attention. Sudan's ties with its neighbors are deep, and the consequences of the war extend across its borders. We must listen carefully to the perspectives of countries in the region, consider how to prevent further deterioration and spillover, and explore how their engagement can contribute constructively to peace. Our discussions today should help us develop a shared understanding of these interconnections and identify opportunities for coordinated action in support of stability in Sudan and the wider region. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let us build on previous meetings and discussions while laying a solid foundation for sustained cooperation. The value of this gathering will lie on our ability to translate a shared sense of urgency into practical action. To that end, I'm committed to convening this meeting regularly every three months. Such continuity will allow us to assess progress, address obstacles, and adapt our approaches together. It will also help us maintain momentum and develop pragmatic responses to an evolving situation. We owe the Sudanese people sustained attention, coherent engagement, and determinant action. As April 2027 approaches, we must do everything in our power to ensure that it marks a turning point towards peace, rather than the start of another year of war and suffering. Our purpose in coming together is to place our collective efforts at the service of the Sudanese people. Allow me, in closing, to express my sincere appreciation to the Government of Switzerland, represented at this meeting by State Secretary Ambassador Alexander Fasel, for its generosity in co-hosting the sixth iteration for the consultative meetings. Switzerland's longstanding tradition of peacemaking and dialogue is reflected in its constructive engagement in efforts to resolve the crisis in Sudan. I also thank all of you for your engagement and for the experience and commitment you bring to our shared endeavor. I look forward to frank, constructive, and forward-looking discussions and to working with you to carry this engagement forward in support of a lasting peace in Sudan. Thank you.

Thank you, Special Envoy. Can I now ask all the principals, the head of delegations, to come forward towards the flag for the family photo, please?