Egypt is trying to mediate between the warring sides in Sudan, hosting a regional summit yesterday, the latest in a series of international efforts to prevent the outbreak of civil war and a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Fighting between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) broke out in the capital Khartoum in April and spread west to the fragile regions of Darfur and Kordofan.

More than 1,000 civilians have been killed and three million people displaced, according to the United Nations, which is warning of a worsening food crisis.

The US and Saudi Arabia have negotiated a series of ceasefires, but suspended talks after the violations. Earlier last week, Ethiopia hosted an East African regional summit, but the military boycotted it arguing that the main sponsor, Kenya, is biased.

Egypt, which has traditionally had close ties with the Sudanese military, invited Sudan’s neighboring countries to yesterday’s meeting.

The meeting aims to remove third-country interference and influence in the hostilities, two Egyptian security sources said, and eventually to start a process to reach a peace agreement to end the conflicts.

The plan aims to achieve a three-month ceasefire and pave the way for aid to be sent amid a series of meetings with military leaders and tribe chiefs.

Previous one-day or multi-day ceasefires were soon broken and, according to UN special envoy Volker Perthes, there was an opportunity for the warring sides to regroup.

Among the African leaders attending the summit is Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, whose country has clashed with Egypt over the construction of a giant dam on the Blue Nile.

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