Khartoum: The United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt have jointly called for a three-month humanitarian truce in Sudan, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a nine-month transition towards civilian rule. The announcement comes amid ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has severely destabilized the nation since April 2023.
According to Nam News Network, the US State Department released a joint statement emphasizing the need for a transition that aligns with the aspirations of the Sudanese people, aiming to establish an independent, civilian-led government. The transition is expected to ensure broad-based legitimacy and accountability, reflecting the collective vision of the Sudanese populace.
The conflict in Sudan has seen the army maintaining control over most state institutions, while the RSF continues to exert its influence. Egypt, a significant ally of the Sudanese army, has been vocal about the need to protect state institutions, whereas the UAE has faced accusations of supplying arms to the RSF, a claim it has denied. Diplomatic sources indicate that Egypt initially objected to language barring both the army and the RSF from the transition process, leading to a compromise in the statement. The final language avoids specific mention of either faction but insists on a government decided by the people, explicitly excluding violent extremist groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
In a related development, the United States imposed sanctions on Sudan's army-aligned finance minister, Gebreil Ibrahim, and the Baraa Ibn-Malik Brigade, an Islamist militia supporting the army. These sanctions aim to reduce Islamist influence in Sudan and address regional destabilization, which the US Treasury Department attributes to Iran's activities.
Despite these international interventions, the willingness of the warring factions to engage in peace talks remains uncertain. Past attempts, such as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's call for a ceasefire in North Darfur's capital, El-Fasher, have seen mixed responses, with the army agreeing but the RSF rejecting the proposal. Both factions have pledged to continue fighting until achieving military victory, with the army controlling Sudan's east, north, and center, while the RSF dominates parts of the south and nearly all of the western Darfur region. The RSF's recent declaration of a parallel government in Darfur has further escalated fears of Sudan's fragmentation.