UN envoy meets RSF leader in Nairobi to discuss de-escalation in Sudan
April 6, 2026 (NAIROBI) – The United Nations Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, met with Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan “Hemetti” Dagalo in Nairobi on Monday to discuss practical avenues for de-escalation.
The meeting in the Kenyan capital is part of Haavisto’s inaugural regional tour. It follows recent discussions in Khartoum with the President of the Transitional Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, as the UN seeks to mediate an end to the nearly three-year-old conflict.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described the talks as a “constructive opportunity” to exchange views on protecting civilians. He noted that all stakeholders engaged by Haavisto have expressed readiness to cooperate with the world body.
“This is encouraging and must swiftly translate into concrete progress towards ending the suffering of all Sudanese,” Dujarric said during a briefing in New York.
Before arriving in Kenya, Haavisto held talks in Cairo over the weekend with Egyptian officials, the League of Arab States, and members of the Sudanese diaspora.
The diplomatic mission coincides with a scale-up of UN humanitarian operations in the Sudanese capital. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown returned to Khartoum on Monday with a core team, marking a significant return to the city where offices had been largely closed since the war began.
The UN estimates that more than 1.6 million people have returned to Khartoum in recent months, despite the presence of unexploded ordnance and damaged infrastructure.
The humanitarian situation remains dire, underscored by a drone attack on Al Jabalayn Teaching Hospital in White Nile State last Thursday. The strike killed 10 health workers and injured 22 others, according to UN reports.
The 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Sudan, which seeks $2.9 billion to assist 20 million people, remains critically underfunded at only 16%, with just $465 million received so far.