Brussels - New York: Europe and the Arabs
Members of the Tripartite Mechanism and the Quartet welcomed the announcement by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to extend the current ceasefire for an additional 72 hours, and called for its full implementation.

The tripartite mechanism includes: the United Nations, the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The Quartet includes: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

A press release on the website of the United Nations Mission in Sudan stated that the mechanism and the group welcomed the willingness of the two parties to engage in dialogue in order to reach a permanent cessation of hostilities and to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access.

The statement added that this initial phase of diplomacy will contribute to working to develop a de-escalation plan as outlined in the African Union statement of April 20, endorsed by the Arab League, the European Union, the Troika and other bilateral partners.

This came after the United Nations humanitarian agencies said on Friday that Sudan is witnessing a massive displacement movement, as civilians suffering from the dire consequences of the ongoing violence flee in search of safety, while many relief operations have been forced to stop.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that tens of thousands of refugees from South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea, who were living in Sudan, have fled fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in the Khartoum area.

These newly displaced people found shelter in refugee camps to the east and south, creating new humanitarian challenges.

The Commission also expressed particular concern about the situation in the Darfur region, where fears of renewed ethnic tensions are mounting.