An Egyptian official told Asharq Al-Awsat about new Arab-American efforts to support peace efforts in Sudan. The source, who requested anonymity, said that Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and the US are working together to help resolve the crisis in Sudan.
The official added that a meeting last weekend in Saudi Arabia, attended by officials from the four countries, focused on boosting efforts to end the crisis.
These four countries had previously joined US-led talks in Geneva in August, alongside the UN and the African Union, to try to end the war in Sudan. However, the talks stalled after the Sudanese government boycotted them.
The Egyptian source explained that the Saudi meeting was not part of the Geneva talks. Instead, the current group of four countries is focused on finding peaceful solutions.
The source also said more meetings are expected to continue pushing for an end to the war and for humanitarian aid to reach those in need.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been in a civil war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), causing thousands of civilian deaths and displacing over 10 million people, both within Sudan and to neighboring countries, according to the UN.
After the war broke out, Saudi Arabia and the US hosted talks in Jeddah, leading to the signing of an agreement.
The agreement aimed to protect civilians and prevent the use of private and public facilities for military purposes. The Sudanese government insists on fully implementing the Jeddah agreement before starting direct talks with the RSF.
Former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister Mona Omar said uniting the efforts of key international players will help push for a ceasefire in Sudan. She noted that conflicting approaches from African, regional, and global powers have weakened attempts to end the war.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Omar stressed that coordination between Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the US would improve the effectiveness of humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict, particularly in regions like Al-Fasher in Darfur and Gezira state, where conditions are critical.
She called for the focus of international efforts to be on “ceasefire, relief efforts, and creating a political roadmap to resolve the crisis.”
