Volker: We are working towards a decisive ceasefire through a monitoring mechanism.

Volker Perthes, the representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and head of the political mission to support the transition in Sudan, confirmed that the UN is working hard to ensure that war does not take root in Sudan.

Volker told the German news agency that our goal now is to avoid turning the conflict into a long war that could push Sudan towards the abyss. The first step is a decisive ceasefire, not just a declaration of a truce, with a monitoring and observation mechanism in place.

Volker added that from this point, there should be movement towards talks between the warring parties in the hope of reforming an effective government in a more stable situation.