Fighting continues in Sudan for a third week amid a hopeful sign that negotiations may be in the offing. 

As fighting continues in Sudan, the United Nations’ top envoy in the country tells the Associated Press that the two sides have agreed to negotiate, potentially in Saudi Arabia, first and foremost on achieving a ‘stable and reliable’ ceasefire. 

Several temporary ceasefires over the past week have eased fighting in some areas, while fierce battles continue in other parts of the country. According to health ministry figures, more than 500 people have been killed and some 4,600 wounded since fighting erupted on April 15th. 

On Monday, the UN said more than 800,000 people may flee Sudan into neighboring countries. And the UN World Food Programme warns the violence could plunge millions more into hunger in a country where 15 million people were already in need of aid to stave off famine.

Joining the discussion:

• Aly Verjee is a researcher at the University of Gothenburg’s School of Global Studies and a Fellow at the Rift Valley Institute, an independent policy center focusing on eastern and central Africa. 
• Niemat Ahmadi is a survivor of the Darfur Genocide that began in 2003. She’s currently the Founder and President of the Darfur Women Action Group. 
• Abdullahi Boru Halakhe is an Africa security and policy analyst.
• Laetitia Courtois is the International Committee of the Red Cross Permanent Observer to the United Nations.

Over 100,000 refugees crossed from Sudan to neighbouring countries – UN https://t.co/p1AtPAQsNe pic.twitter.com/r96mC6rgbI

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 2, 2023

The United Nations warned that 800,000 people may flee Sudan as rival military factions battled in the capital Khartoum, despite a supposed ceasefire and as foreign states wound down evacuations https://t.co/qNKk5bmY22 pic.twitter.com/eIc6M8xSNv

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 1, 2023