US Envoy Launches Humanitarian Fund for Sudan, Announces Progress Toward Peace Deal
The US and the UN have launched a humanitarian fund for Sudan, amid an intensified push to end the war and support humanitarian efforts.
Speaking during a pledging conference for Sudan at the Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace on Tuesday, the US Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, announced the launch of a $1.5-billion Sudan Humanitarian Fund, reported the Associated Press (AP).
Sudan Humanitarian Fund
During the conference, the newly-inaugurated fund secured $500 million commitment from the UAE and $200 million from the US. Saudi Arabia and several other countries supported efforts and made pledges, without specifying amounts.
“Yesterday at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, I was honored to bring together allies and friends as we work toward a humanitarian truce in Sudan. I am proud that the United States is leading efforts to secure greater support for those in need,” Boulos wrote on X, adding that the fund secured more than $1.5 billion in pledges.
UN Support
Similarly, the UN Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, welcomed the effort. “Today we are signaling that the international community will work together to bring this suffering to an end, and to ensure lifesaving aid reaches communities in such desperate, desperate need,” he said.
He also added that they have set a target date of the beginning of Ramadan to “make visible progress on this work.”
The war in Sudan, which broke out in April 2023, has triggered the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, killing thousands and displacing over 15 million people within Sudan and across neighboring countries. It has also pushed parts of the country into famine amid cholera outbreaks.
Sudan Peace Plan
Importantly, Boulos announced that the Quad group – including the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE – made progress toward finalizing the text of a peace plan to end the Sudan war. “I can, I think, safely announce today that we do have a text,” he said.
The plan is pending the approval of Sudan’s two warring parties, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to Politics Today, the US will submit the plan to the UN Security Council and Trump’s newly-formed Board of Peace.
“If we can get this accepted by the two parties, we can take it to the Security Council. We can also take it to the Board of Peace very shortly after that,” Boulos said.
He explained that the plan focuses on five pillars: addressing the humanitarian crisis; protecting civilians and coordinating their safe return; transitioning to a permanent ceasefire; establishing a civilian-led government; and reconstruction, for which a fund will be set up.
Saudi Arabia’s Peace Push
Saudi Arabia has been a strong advocate for peace in Sudan. The Kingdom’s Ambassador to the US, Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, participated in the conference. “Saudi Arabia stands committed to alleviating suffering and supporting stability in the region,” she posted on X.
Underscoring the Kingdom’s commitment to regional stability, a joint statement issued by Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Riyadh, reaffirmed their firm position in support of Sudan’s unity and sovereignty.
The two countries explicitly rejected the formation of any “illegitimate or parallel entities” that challenge established state institutions and called for a complete halt to the illegal influx of foreign weapons.
Emphasizing the principles of the 2023 Jeddah Declaration, the statement urged the protection of civilians and the facilitation of humanitarian aid, while advocating for a Sudanese-led political process to establish a civilian government – one that pointedly excludes extremist groups and those responsible for crimes against the Sudanese people.
