Sudan's military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, held talks with African Union (AU) envoy Mohamed Belaiche on Wednesday on efforts to advance peace and reopen the AU liaison office in Khartoum.

The talks, attended by Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem, took place in Khartoum two weeks after AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssef called for a rapid assessment of the country's situation ahead of the office's reopening.

According to a press statement, Belaiche said that the meeting reviewed prospects for peace and current challenges, emphasizing the importance of intensifying efforts to overcome these obstacles to achieve security and stability.

He reaffirmed the commission's commitment to continuing efforts to de-escalate the conflict, calling it an essential step toward achieving a ceasefire.

The talks were held as part of the AU Commission's commitment to continue consultations with Sudanese leadership on political and field developments, and to finalize practical arrangements for reopening the liaison office soon.

A ceasefire represents the main entry point for addressing the crisis, alongside advancing an inclusive political process that engages all parties, the envoy said.

The African Union leads conflict resolution efforts within a five-party mechanism that includes the United Nations, the European Union, IGAD, and the Arab League, facilitating meetings with Sudanese forces to launch a political process on future governance.

The five-party mechanism is expected to facilitate another round of meetings between political forces by the end of this month.

(With input from wires & AU media)