Sudan has entered a new phase marked by war and intense diplomatic and political maneuvering. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye, and Pakistan are maintaining their support for the country's legitimate state institutions while rejecting parallel entities. Khartoum has also rejected the US position on legitimacy in the conflict.
The Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye and Pakistan have “reaffirmed their unwavering support for the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Sudan, and stressed the importance of preserving its legitimate national institutions, and rejecting any parallel entities that undermine Sudan's sovereignty and unity.”
The ministers met in New York on Monday on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
“They stressed the necessity of halting the illicit flow of weapons, mercenaries and foreign fighters into Sudanese territory,” a joint statement said.
“The Ministers also agreed to maintain close coordination and continue consultations on regional and international developments, to strengthen collective security and promote long-term regional stability,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Sudan on Wednesday said it "upholds its national sovereignty" and called on Washington to engage positively with the country's government, pushing back on remarks by the US State Department calling into question its legitimacy.
The US withheld a visa for Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ahead of his scheduled visit to New York for the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, reportedly making his attendance contingent on his agreeing to a 90-day ceasefire.
Sudan's war, which erupted in April 2023 following a power struggle between the military and the Rapid Support Forces, has displaced more than 14 million people and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement on Tuesday that neither the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces nor either of their respective leaders "represent legitimate, constitutional governance for Sudan."
In a statement on Wednesday, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it strongly rejected the statement and called on Washington to engage positively with the Sudanese government.
"The government of Sudan emphasizes that any peace initiative intended to succeed and endure must be grounded in respect for Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and legitimate national institutions," the statement said.
"It must also address the root causes of the war's continuation — foremost among them, negative foreign interference."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday described trying to mediate an end to the conflict in Sudan as frustrating.
"We’ve had people agree to things, sign to things, and the commitments are never met," he told reporters in New York. "Every time it seems like we’re on the verge of making progress, one side or the other will back off because they think they’re winning or they think they could win. And there are external actors."
The dispute, first reported by Reuters, threatens to deepen tensions between Washington and Sudan's army at a critical moment in the civil war, which the United Nations calls the world's largest humanitarian crisis.
A senior Sudanese source said Burhan had postponed his trip to New York but had yet to receive official notice that the visa had been denied.
"We in the Sudanese government express our deep regret because this is a violation of the UN Convention and international law," the source said.
"Sudan's government affirms its stance towards peace."
Sudan's UN ambassador appealed to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to intervene, arguing in a letter that preventing Burhan from attending the General Assembly would violate the UN's obligations toward member states.
In a statement sent to Reuters, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the secretary-general is "deeply concerned that a visa has reportedly not yet been issued to the President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Sudan," adding that he is engaging with the US on the issue.
US officials have made Burhan's attendance contingent on his agreeing to a 90-day ceasefire proposed by US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos, according to a Sudanese diplomatic source and a Western analyst close to American and Sudanese officials.
In a piece in US outlet Foreign Policy published on Monday, Burhan said he would refuse external directives about the war and said previous pauses in fighting had only allowed the RSF and its backers to regroup.
