Sudanese political and civil society groups met on Saturday in Egypt to explore ways to end the ongoing war in Sudan. However, the warring factions did not attend the Egypt-sponsored conference.

Sudan plunged into chaos in April last year when simmering tensions between the country’s military and the notorious paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, erupted into open conflict in the capital, Khartoum, and other regions.

The devastating conflict has claimed more than 14,000 lives and injured 33,000 people, according to the United Nations, although rights activists believe the actual toll could be much higher.

This has created the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 11 million people forced to flee their homes. International experts warned last month that 755,000 people face famine in the coming months, and 8.5 million people are experiencing severe food shortages.

Saturday’s meeting was the latest attempt to end the war in Sudan, hosted by the Egyptian government in the New Administrative Capital, a mega city east of Cairo.

Previous efforts, including US-Saudi-mediated talks between the military and the RSF, have failed to halt the fighting.

“Any real political solution to the crisis in Sudan must be based on a purely Sudanese vision emanating from the Sudanese themselves,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said in his opening speech.

Many Sudanese groups attended the conference, including an alliance of pro-democracy political parties and groups led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Leaders of Sudanese rebel groups, such as Malik Agar of the Sudan Revolutionary Front and Gibril Ibrahim of the Justice and Equality Movement, were also present.
Representatives from the Arab League, African Union, United Nations, European Union, and other countries participated as well.