The meeting could take place in the Sudanese capital Khartoum or another location, Martin Griffiths told Reuters from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after a visit to Port Sudan intended to plan a large-scale relief operation.
Mr Griffiths said he had spoken by phone to army leader Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and Rapid Support Forces commander Gen Mohamed Dagalo from Port Sudan on Wednesday.
He said he told them that specific aid corridors and flight operations were required.
“We are very clear now in our operational requirements as to what we need in terms of commitments from them,” Mr Griffiths said.
He said one route could pass through Wadi Madani south-east of Khartoum and another from Chad into Darfur.
Mr Griffiths said he hoped to meet Gen Al Burhan and Gen Dagalo, or “an empowered delegate who can sign off on these specific charters that we will put in front of them”, to guarantee delivery of aid.
“It’s important to me that we meet physically, face-to-face to discuss this, because we need it to be a public, accountable moment,” he said.
“We are now in the process of dealing specifically with them on a date and place.”
UN Chief Fears Sudan Conflict Could Harm Wider Region
“The present situation is totally unacceptable. A lasting ceasefire needs to take place,” Mr Guterres said in Nairobi.
He said he was “very concerned” about the conflict spilling into neighbouring countries undergoing their own political and post-conflict troubles, particularly Chad, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
“It is absolutely essential to massively support Chad in the present situation,” Mr Guterres said.
“On the other hand, we have other countries in the region in their own peace processes. Ethiopia is in a peace process.
“It is absolutely essential to avoid any spillover from Sudan to Ethiopia.”
UN Needs Commitments On Aid From Sudan Generals, Says Humanitarian Chief
“We will still require agreements and arrangements to allow for movement of staff and supplies,” he said.
“We will need to have agreement at the highest level, and very publicly, and we will need to deliver those commitments into local arrangements that can be depended upon.”
Mr Griffiths said six lorries carrying humanitarian supplies were looted on their way to Darfur.
He said he had been told by the World Food Programme that the lorries were looted despite assurances of safety.
There was no immediate comment from WFP.
“It’s a volatile environment so we need those commitments,” Mr Griffiths said.
“It’s not as if we’re asking for the Moon. We’re asking for the movement of humanitarian supplies, of people.
“We do this in every other country, even without ceasefires. It’s a traditional humanitarian enterprise to go where others don’t.”
Sudanese Face Passport Complications With Embassy Closures
Most embassies have been closed since foreign governments rushed out diplomats and their families by road, air and sea.
There has been one known case in which a foreign mission handed over passports to local staff.
The Chinese embassy posted two numbers on Twitter and, when contacted, invited people to visit and retrieve their passports.
A Dutch government website said officials were “actively looking at how to support” Sudanese whose passports had to be left behind at the embassy, and urged them to email the Foreign Ministry.
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The Dutch embassy, responding to a user on Twitter, said in a statement: “We deeply regret the current situation you’re in.
“We were forced to close the embassy and evacuate our staff. Unfortunately, this means we can’t get to your passport.” – AFP
Sudan’s Army Agrees To Proposal To Extend Truce, Send Envoy To Talks
