This week, Sudan peace efforts resume in Geneva. Yemen’s foreign minister calls for Houthi disarmament. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda meet for talks in Germany, US sanctions Rwanda entities.
Sudan Peace Efforts Resume in Geneva
On October 21, nearly two dozen countries convened in Geneva to discuss halting the violence in Sudan and alleviating the country’s dire humanitarian crisis. Delegates discussed efforts toward a ceasefire, and were expected to consider a “transitional political phase that reflects the aspirations” of the country’s people, by means of “an inclusive and credible dialogue,” the UN chief’s Personal Envoy, Pekka Havisto, said.
Alexandre Fasel, state secretary of Switzerland, said, “The war in Sudan has become a drone war; it kills mostly civilians.” Fasel noted that almost 34 million people need humanitarian support, according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. He stressed that protection of civilians “must not wait for a ceasefire and a political solution.”
The talks came after a day of humanitarian-focused dialogues also at UN Geneva that involved delegations, senior UN officials, and international NGOs operating in Sudan including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Sudan INGO Forum.
The talks, known as Consultative Meetings on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan, have previously been held in Cairo twice in June 2024 and January 2026, in Djibouti in July 2024, Nouakchott in December 2024, and Brussels in June 2025.
Neither the Sudanese Government nor the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were represented at the meeting, the mechanism was established for mediators to coordinate their actions.
Yemen’s Foreign Minister Calls for Houthi Disarmament
In an interview with Anadolu Agensi published on October 26, Yemen’s foreign minister Afrah al-Zouba called for the Houthi armed group to surrender its weapons.
Al-Zouba said a settlement would require rebuilding state institutions so the Houthis can no longer carry out terrorism in Yemen or the region. She also called for implementing agreed frameworks including UN Security Council Resolution 2216, which calls on the Houthis to withdraw from areas they seized, including Sanaa, hand over weapons taken from military and security institutions, and facilitate humanitarian access.
Al-Zouba argued that the Houthis had used peace efforts to acquire weapons and expand their military capabilities. She called the group a threat to regional and international security and accused it of cooperating with armed groups in the Horn of Africa. She praised Turkey’s efforts to promote stability in Yemen.
This development comes as the Houthis’s siege of the city of Taiz is cutting off many of the city’s roughly 4 million residents from food and supplies.
DRC and Rwanda Meet for Talks in Germany, US Sanctions Rwanda Entities
Military planners from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda met for talks in Germany facilitated by the US. The talks aimed to advance US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for eastern DRC. The meeting aimed to finalize a draft operations order guiding joint security efforts, especially regarding the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and Rwanda’s military disengagement.
On October 28, Business Insider Africa reported that seven days after the talks, the US had imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence and Zigama Credit and Savings Society for alleged support of the M23 armed group in eastern Congo. In its sanctions announcement, the US Treasury Department accused Rwanda’s military of deploying thousands of troops alongside M23 in North and South Kivu provinces and supplying the group with weapons, equipment, logistical support and training. The US also alleged that Rwanda introduced surface-to-air missile systems and jamming equipment into eastern DRC, creating risks for civilian aviation.
Keywords: Sudan, Yemen, DRC, Congo, Rwanda, sanctions, seige, Taiz, Geneva, peace, conflict, conflict resolution, ceasefire, peace deal
Tara Abhasakun is Peace News Network (PNN)'s managing editor. She is journalist based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and formerly in Bangkok, Thailand. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
