(MENAFN) Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council, held talks with Ramtane Lamamra, the UN Secretary-General's special envoy, in Port Sudan on Sunday as efforts intensify to halt the devastating conflict gripping the nation.

During the discussions, al-Burhan signaled his administration's willingness to strengthen ties with the UN and its affiliated bodies, according to an official council statement. The Sudanese leader also reaffirmed his government's commitment to work toward peace initiatives.

The high-level diplomatic engagement comes nearly three years into a catastrophic conflict that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The brutal warfare has claimed thousands of lives, uprooted millions from their homes, and resisted multiple regional and international peace attempts.

Al-Burhan emphasized his administration's goal to "establish peace across the country in line with the aspirations of the Sudanese people."

The UN revealed Thursday that the protracted fighting has driven 21.2 million Sudanese citizens to the brink of severe hunger—a staggering humanitarian catastrophe affecting the population.

Last September, the Quad coalition—comprising the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE—put forward a proposal calling for a 90-day humanitarian ceasefire as an initial phase toward lasting peace, followed by a nine-month transitional period culminating in an independent civilian administration.

RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo unilaterally announced a three-month cessation of hostilities, despite his forces simultaneously consolidating territorial gains in Darfur and Kordofan regions while conducting assaults against civilian populations.

Al-Burhan rejected the Quad framework, arguing it "eliminates the army, dissolves security agencies and leaves the rebel militia in the areas it seized."

Sudanese authorities maintain they support dialogue based on their own framework presented to the UN, which mandates RSF withdrawal from urban centers and all civilian locations to enable displaced populations to return to their communities.

MENAFN01122025000045017169ID1110417317