Sudan Peace Talks Open in Berlin, Excluding Army and RSF

A major international conference on Sudan began today in Berlin, Germany. Its goal is to rally global support for peace and increase aid for millions of Sudanese caught in a worsening humanitarian crisis. The meeting marks three years since the start of Sudan's civil war. The conflict began on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Notably, both warring military factions have been excluded from the one-day conference. Instead, the talks include roughly 40 Sudanese political and civilian figures. The event highlights a key dispute in peace efforts: who can legitimately represent Sudan's civilians. Some groups are present at the Berlin meeting, while other significant factions are absent, a situation observers describe as "presence versus absence." The conference aims to address the severe aid shortage and find a path to end the violence that has displaced over 10 million people.