BERLIN (AP) — A week of indirect talks involving Sudan’s warring parties ended in Geneva on Friday, the U.N. secretary-general’s personal envoy said. He described the discussions as an “encouraging initial step” in a complex process.

Representatives of the Sudanese army and rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces accepted invitations to meet separately with the envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, who started the talks on July 11. He said in a statement that his team held a total of about 20 sessions with the parties’ delegations.

Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023 when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to other regions including Darfur. The U.N. says over 14,000 people have been killed and 33,000 injured. Rights activists say the toll could be much higher.

The war has also created the world’s largest displacement crisis with over 11 million people forced to flee their homes as well as allegations of rampant sexual violence and possible crimes against humanity. International experts recently warned that 755,000 people are facing famine in the coming months.

Talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces broke down at the end of last year.

The Geneva talks centered on measures to ensure the distribution of humanitarian aid and to protect civilians across Sudan. Lamamra said he was “encouraged by the willingness of the parties to engage with me on these critical matters, as well as by the commitments made to respond to some specific requests we presented to them.” He didn’t elaborate.

“The discussions held in Geneva are an encouraging initial step in a longer and complex process,” Lamamra said.