GENEVA – Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem held talks on Wednesday with Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), focusing on voluntary returns, early recovery and the humanitarian situation in Sudan, including recent developments in El Obeid.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the minister’s visit to Geneva, according to Sudan’s state news agency SUNA.
Salem said creating conditions for the voluntary return of displaced people had become a national priority, stressing the need to move beyond emergency humanitarian assistance toward early recovery and the restoration of basic services in areas witnessing increasing returns.
He also briefed Pope on humanitarian and security developments in Sudan, including the situation in El Obeid and other parts of Kordofan. According to SUNA, he warned that continued drone attacks targeting civilian infrastructure could undermine the growing movement of voluntary returns.
The discussions also covered ways to strengthen cooperation between Sudan and the IOM on voluntary returns, reintegration programmes and support for host communities in areas considered safe for returning civilians.
Pope reaffirmed the IOM’s commitment to supporting Sudan and expanding cooperation with the government in tracking displacement, assisting returnees and mobilizing partnerships to address both humanitarian and longer-term recovery needs.
Both sides agreed to continue coordination on promoting sustainable voluntary returns, advancing early recovery efforts and linking humanitarian assistance with long-term development solutions in line with Sudan’s national priorities.
Millions of Sudanese have been displaced since war erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023. In recent months, Sudanese authorities have reported increasing voluntary returns to some areas recaptured by government forces, while UN agencies have stressed that safe, voluntary and dignified returns depend on security, access to basic services and protection for civilians.
