Saudi Arabia, the US, Egypt and the UAE have proposed a roadmap for peace in war-torn Sudan to end the conflict that has been raging for over two years.
The plan, proposed on Friday, includes a three-month humanitarian truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a transition to civilian-led governance.
Ending Sudan Crisis
The foreign ministers of the four countries, collectively known as the “Quad,” issued a joint statement after extensive consultations on the conflict in Sudan, which has triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and threatens regional peace and security.
The statement stressed that “there is no viable military solution to the conflict, and the status quo creates unacceptable suffering and risks to peace and security.”
It also urged all parties to the conflict to facilitate rapid and unhindered humanitarian access across Sudan, protect civilians, and refrain from indiscriminate aerial and ground attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Sudan Conflict
The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), triggering “the world’s most devastating humanitarian and displacement crisis,” according to the UN.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 14 million people and pushed parts of the country into famine.
Furthermore, it has spilt the country in two. The SAF controls the center, north and east, while the RSF holds almost all of the western Darfur region and parts of Kordofan, with each side declaring a government, raising concerns over creating a permanent division in Sudan.
Roadmap to Peace
The Quad proposed a roadmap to peace in Sudan, stressing that Sudanese people must decide the country’s future governance through “an inclusive and transparent transition process, not controlled by any warring party.”
In the light of this, they called for a three-month humanitarian truce, which will be followed by a permanent ceasefire. After that, a 9-month transition process should begin “to meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people towards smoothly establishing an independent, civilian-led government with broad-based legitimacy and accountability.”
The statement explicitly stated that the Muslim Brotherhood or affiliated extremist groups cannot have any role in Sudan’s future. Furthermore, it called for an end to external military support to the conflict parties as an essential means to end the conflict.
Supporting Saudi Efforts
The foreign ministers of the Quad committed to strengthening their coordinated efforts in support of ending the conflict in Sudan, including the establishment and implementation of an inclusive and transparent transition.
With regards to this, they expressed support for the efforts of Saudi Arabia and the US to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Sudan, through the Jeddah process. They also commended Egypt’s efforts in the light of the Sudanese civil and political forces forum which held its first round in Cairo in July 2024.
Saudi Arabia has long supported Sudan’s security, stability and territorial integrity, urging the conflicting parties to prioritize the nation’s interests over factional interests. It has also emphasized that a political solution is the only path to ending the crisis in Sudan.
The Kingdom has also called the warring parties to adhere to the agreements established in the Jeddah Declaration signed on 11 May, 2023, including a commitment to protecting Sudanese civilians.
