Geneva, 21 October 2026 - The Swiss Confederation and the United Nations Office of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan co-hosted the Sixth Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on 21 October 2026. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Alexandre Fasel, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, and Mr Pekka Haavisto, Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan.
The meeting brought together representatives of the Central African Republic, the Republic of Chad, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Djibouti, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Eritrea, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Kenya, the State of Libya, the Kingdom of Norway, the State of Qatar, the Russian Federation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of South Sudan, the Swiss Confederation, the Republic of Türkiye, the Republic of Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America, alongside the African Union, the European Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the League of Arab States and the United Nations.
Bringing together States sponsoring major peace initiatives, the members of the Quad, all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the Quintet organizations, and neighboring and regional countries, the meeting provided a forum to align diplomatic engagement around the urgent needs of the Sudanese people. Building on previous Consultative Meetings in Cairo, Djibouti, Nouakchott and Brussels, and most recently in Cairo on 14 January 2026, participants focused on identifying concrete ways to strengthen coordination, draw on their respective comparative advantages, and ensure that peace initiatives reinforce one another.
Participants expressed grave concern at the continuing armed conflict, which continues unabated, with reports of atrocities and the escalation in drone warfare resulting in the immense suffering of civilians, and a deepening humanitarian crisis, with millions facing acute food insecurity. They underscored that continued fighting and restrictions on humanitarian access, compounded by climate change - related shocks, including dry conditions and delayed rains, were increasing the risk of famine. The war must end so that the Sudanese people can live in safety and access the relief and assistance they urgently need.
Participants reaffirmed their commitment to Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and to the preservation of Sudanese state institutions, in line with the principles agreed at the Sudan Ministerial Conference in Berlin on 15 April 2026 and the spirit of the Jeddah Declaration of 11 May 2023. They rejected the establishment of parallel governments, institutions or governance structures and rejected any move that could undermine the unity of Sudan. They called for concrete measures to preserve these foundational principles and refrain from any action that risks dividing the country or deepening regional spillovers.
The discussions on de-escalation addressed ongoing initiatives, challenges and opportunities for mutually supporting action. Participants underscored that there is no military solution to this war and that continued efforts to secure military gains come at a devastating cost to Sudanese civilians, who are already bearing the brunt of the conflict. Participants called for immediate de-escalation and called on all parties to engage genuinely and in good faith in concrete steps that can deliver tangible results on the ground, swiftly improving the protection of all civilians. They underscored that Sudanese civilians must not continue to pay the price for the parties’ military calculations.
They urged foreign States and non-State actors to refrain from fueling the war, notably through mercenaries, the provision of military equipment, particularly drones which are proving particularly deadly for civilians across the country, and financial support prone to divide the country. They stressed that respect for international humanitarian law is imperative and that the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, including infrastructure critical to the delivery of essential services, must be upheld at all times.
Participants welcomed efforts, particularly those by the Quad, to secure a humanitarian truce as a step towards a durable ceasefire and stressed the urgency of the parties to commit to a ceasefire.
On the political process, participants stressed that durable peace can only be achieved through the meaningful inclusion of Sudanese actors across the political and civilian spectrum. They reaffirmed support for an inclusive, credible and Sudanese-owned political process that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people. They underscored the importance of a credible and agreed transitional path towards sustainable peace and democratic governance.
Participants expressed support for the Quintet, the African Union, European Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, League of Arab States and United Nations, in facilitating this dialogue. The process should bring together a diversity of Sudanese civilian-political actors, including women and youth, reflecting Sudan’s geographic and social diversity, and be transparent, credible and free from coercion. Participants took note of the activities of the Khartoum-based National Dialogue Committee.
The session addressing the regional dimension of the conflict, drew perspectives from the neighboring and regional countries. Participants recognized the severe humanitarian and socioeconomic consequences of the conflict across the region. They warned of the heightened risk of regional spillover, stressing that its consequences could be catastrophic and difficult to reverse. They underscored the need to intensify collective engagement with neighboring and regional countries and other partners in support of peace.
Building on their meeting on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, members of the Quad and the Quintet met to further coordinate their actions in support of peacemaking efforts in Sudan and strengthen the coherence and complementarity of their diplomatic engagement.
All participants of the Consultative Meetings reaffirmed the role of these meetings as a forum for sustained dialogue and coordination among international and regional partners, in alignment with their respective mandates and priorities. Participants underscored the importance of sharing assessments, reviewing progress and identifying concrete ways for initiatives to reinforce one another and deliver results on the ground. Participants expressed their intention to convene a Seventh Consultative Meeting, with its date, venue and agenda to be determined. The technical level task force of the Consultative Meetings will remain engaged in coordination and preparations in the meantime.
As co-hosts, we underline the urgency of sustained and coordinated engagement. The priorities are clear: the parties must engage and show concrete progress towards de-escalation and the protection of civilians, enable humanitarian assistance to reach those in need, preserve Sudan’s unity, and support a credible civilian political process led and owned by the Sudanese people. Our collective efforts must contribute to turn these shared priorities into tangible progress towards ending the war and securing lasting peace in Sudan.