US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE put forward roadmap for peace in Sudan

The United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have put forward a proposal for a three-month humanitarian truce in Sudan, followed by a permanent ceasefire. 

In a joint statement, foreign ministers of the so-called Quad countries called for a 9-month transitional process following the truce to establish civilian-led governance.

"There is no viable military solution to the conflict, and the status quo creates unacceptable suffering and risks to peace and security,"

Sudan has been engulfed by civil war since April 2023, when tensions between the armed forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted into open warfare. The fighting has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with some 40,000 people killed and more than 12 million people displaced. Many of those who remain in the country have been pushed to the brink of famine. 

National unity

The Quad also expressed support for the unity of Sudan.

The RSF has been setting up its own parallel government and swore in leadership last year. The group controls most of the Darfur region, which is serving as a base for that government. It is still fighting the army for the regional capital, al-Fashir imposing a devastating siege that has spread hunger throughout the city. 

It is unclear whether the warring parties would agree. In June, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a week-long ceasefire in al-Fashir, a call the army accepted but the RSF rejected.

Sanctions

This latest peace proposal also rejected any role for the Muslim Brotherhood or affiliated groups in Sudan, a common enemy of the four countries, a clear reference to the Islamists who controlled Sudan for three decades until 2019 and have staged a resurgence during the war in support of the army.

To that end, the United States on Friday imposed sanctions on Sudan's finance minister Jibril Ibrahim, an Islamist, as well as the Baraa Ibn-Malik Brigade, an Islamist militia that has fought alongside the army. The latest round of sanctions "aim to limit Islamist influence within Sudan and curtail Iran’s regional activities," a statement from the Treasury Department said.

The UAE has been accused by the army of supporting the RSF, charges US lawmakers and experts have found credible, but which the Gulf state has repeatedly denied. Egypt, and to a lesser extent Saudi Arabia, have supported the army.

Neither the army nor the RSF immediately responded to requests for comment.