SUDAN’S warring parties have arrived in Geneva at the invitation of the United Nations to discuss the protection of civilians through possible local ceasefires. 

But one side in the conflict failed to show up for the talks on the first day.

Senior representatives of the Sudanese army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces accepted invitations to meet separately with Ramtane Lamamra, the personal envoy of UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Thursday.