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Sudan Adopts ‘Jeddah Platform’ as Single Platform for Negotiation

A man walks while smoke rises above buildings after aerial bombardment during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum (File photo: Reuters)
A man walks while smoke rises above buildings after aerial bombardment during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum (File photo: Reuters)
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Sudan Adopts ‘Jeddah Platform’ as Single Platform for Negotiation

A man walks while smoke rises above buildings after aerial bombardment during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum (File photo: Reuters)
A man walks while smoke rises above buildings after aerial bombardment during clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum (File photo: Reuters)

Sudan renewed on Friday its adoption of the Jeddah Platform as the sole proposal for negotiations with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and affirmed its categorical rejection of any talks outside of Jeddah.
After a joint meeting with the Sovereignty Council in the temporary alternative capital, Port Sudan, the government rejected peace talks outside the Jeddah process, asserting that it is the only platform to "negotiate the war imposed by the rebel militias," referring to the RSF.
The designated Minister of Information, Graham Abdel Gader, explained that the government of Sudan will not sit or negotiate with the Rapid Support Forces on any other platform, asserting that any claims or rumors about online negotiations or any other place are "false and baseless."
Abdel Gader reiterated that engagements with regional or international actors must occur within the Jeddah framework.
The joint meeting was chaired by Army Commander Lt-Gen Abdul Fattah Al-Burhan and attended by his deputy, Malik Aqar, along with other members, including Lt-Gen Shamseddine Kabashi and Ibrahim Jaber.
The Minister of Information said the meeting addressed the "government's priorities," the 2024 federal budget, and the efforts to achieve peace and protect citizens.
The meeting also discussed resolving what he described as "rebellion," asserting the need for RSF rebels to leave the homes of citizens and the government, service, and other institutions they occupied.
Observers suggested that these statements hint at an imminent return to the Jeddah platform, which has been suspended for months.
- Non-adherence
Last May, Jeddah hosted the Saudi-US initiative for talks between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which led to the signing of the Jeddah Declaration stipulating the protection of civilians and private and public facilities and refraining from using them for military purposes.
However, the two parties did not adhere to the agreement and returned to negotiations again in October last year.
The new round was met with intransigence from both sides, forcing the mediators, namely Riyadh and Washington, to suspend the negotiations.
The dispute between the two warring parties focused on the "Rapid Support" adherence to the necessity of arresting Islamist leaders of the former regime headed by Omar al-Bashir, who was released from prison.
The army insisted on the need for the Rapid Support Forces to leave the cities it occupied.
- IGAD Summit 41
After the failure of the Jeddah negotiations, the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) initiated African mediation and assigned, in June 2023, a quartet committee headed by Kenya, with the membership of South Sudan, Djibouti, and Ethiopia, for the negotiations.
Khartoum rejected the Kenyan presidency, claiming Kenyan President William Ruto sided with the Rapid Support Forces.
IGAD held a direct meeting between Burhan and RSF chief Hamdan Dagalo. But the Authority later postponed the meeting, citing "technical reasons."
Shortly after, Burhan made a surprise visit to Kenya, during which he held meetings with President Ruto and agreed on an emergency summit of presidents to establish a framework for the Sudanese dialogue.
In December, the IGAD 41st Extraordinary was held in Djibouti in the presence of Burhan and Dagalo. Interlocutors agreed to end the war without conditions and called for the postponed meeting between the two leaders.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry rejected the summit's final statement, and Burhan refused to meet Dagalo.
- IGAD Summit 42
The Sudanese army boycotted the 42nd emergency IGAD summit, which was held in Uganda in January, in protest against RSF "Hemedti's" participation.
However, the summit continued its work in the absence of Sudan and decided to form an "international mechanism" based on the African Union's (AU) vision, which consists of a ceasefire and turning Khartoum into a demilitarized zone.
It also aims to deploy African forces to guard strategic institutions in the capital and combine the visions of the Jeddah platform and IGAD.

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Arab World

Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
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Lebanese Govt Approaches Hezbollah Arms File Without Decisions

In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)
In this photo, released by the Lebanese Presidency press office, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, center foreground, and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, right, head a cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP)

Lebanon’s government addressed the contentious issue of Hezbollah’s weapons
and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 with no concrete decisions made during the recent cabinet discussions.
Government sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Lebanese Forces bloc demanded that timeline for the disarmament of Hezbollah be set, but there was no response to their demand. Other ministers argued that the matter of exclusive state control over weapons is already addressed in the government's ministerial statement.

Moreover, and in a gesture underscoring its commitment to international cooperation, the government approved the extension of the mandate for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), highlighting Lebanon’s “keenness on partnership with the international community to maintain stability.”
It also reported 2,740 Israeli violations since the ceasefire agreement was put in place.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, government sources said that President Joseph Aoun has vowed to discuss the matter of setting a timeline to disarm Hezbollah with the relevant parties, and will report the outcome of his consultations back to the cabinet.

Following the cabinet session, Information Minister Paul Morcos reaffirmed the government's commitment to asserting state authority over all Lebanese territory. He underscored the need to bolster the Lebanese Army amid growing security challenges—particularly in the south, where the army continues to carry out its duties despite repeated Israeli aggressions.

The Minister stated that Army Commander General Rodolph Haikal delivered a security briefing during the meeting, outlining ongoing operations and the army's position. Haikal stressed Lebanon’s full commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, in contrast to Israel’s repeated violations, which, he said, hinder the army’s deployment and the extension of state authority in the region.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 calls for the Lebanese Army’s deployment south of the Litani River and the removal of all unauthorized armed groups.

Despite limited resources, Morcos noted, the army “continues to fulfill its duties under difficult conditions”.
Industry Minister, Joe Issa el-Khoury, said after the cabinet meeting at Baabda Palace that ministers of the Lebanese Forces bloc raised the issue of setting a six-month timeline for the handover of all illegal weapons—both Lebanese and non-Lebanese. They proposed beginning the process with the Palestinian refugee camps.
Morco also announced that the Cabinet approved the extension of the UNIFIL mandate in southern Lebanon, stressing the Lebanese state’s commitment to its partnership with the international community in preserving stability.

For his part, President Aoun, at the onset of the session, described his meeting with Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Tamim Al-Thani, in Doha as “fruitful and excellent,” revealing that a Qatari delegation may visit Lebanon next week to discuss the electricity file.
Aoun also thanked the Intelligence Directorate and General Security for arresting members of a cell involved in rocket launches from southern Lebanon. He expressed hope that the cell recently dismantled in Jordan—whose members admitted to receiving training in Lebanon—will be fully unraveled.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, for his part, spoke about his recent visit to Syria. He said four major issues were discussed: securing and eventually demarcating the Lebanese-Syrian border, the case of Lebanese detainees who disappeared in Syria, Lebanese nationals wanted by authorities who are currently in Syria, and the issue of Syrian prisoners held in Lebanon.
Salam underscored that some of the most pressing matters discussed was the return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland, and the need to lift sanctions on Syria in order to facilitate this process.
The visit also included an official request for information related to the Beirut port explosion.