US President’s senior adviser for Arab and African affairs Masad Boulos affirmed Washington’s continued efforts, in coordination with Egypt and regional and international partners, to advance a political solution that would end the war ongoing in Sudan for more than three years. He stressed that the United States supports the country’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Boulos made the remarks after meeting Sudanese Sovereignty Council President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan during a luncheon hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday, on the sidelines of the eighth mid-year coordination meeting of the African Union, held in Egypt’s Alamein.
Boulos calls for inclusive Sudanese dialogue
In a post on his account on the X platform, Boulos said his country was working to help Sudan restore security and stability and begin reconstruction and development, ultimately leading to the formation of a civilian-led government through an inclusive national dialogue “owned and led by the Sudanese”.
The US official added that the United States was ready to support efforts to launch an inclusive dialogue among Sudanese political forces, helping to reach an initial roadmap outlining the country’s future. He also urged Sudanese people to engage actively with the relevant regional and international parties, with the aim of coordinating positions and aligning efforts towards a peaceful process to end the war.
International quartet seeks humanitarian truce
For months, the United States and Saudi Arabia have been leading efforts through the international quartet, which also includes Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, to secure a humanitarian truce in Sudan amid continuing fighting and its widespread humanitarian consequences.
About 10 days ago, Boulos said that any solution to the Sudan crisis should be backed by a Security Council resolution, explaining that Washington was dealing with both sides of the war without granting official recognition to either. He stressed that communicating with both sides did not mean treating them equally, but was necessary to reach a settlement.
Boulos said at the time that his multiple meetings with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem did not amount to official recognition of the Sudanese government. Rather, they were part of daily communication aimed at reaching a solution and applying pressure to open safe corridors for the delivery of aid.
Khartoum signals readiness to negotiate
For his part, Sudanese Foreign Minister Salem had previously announced Khartoum’s readiness to engage in a positive negotiating process with the United States and a number of regional and international countries to end the war, while stressing its rejection of “imposing any external intervention or solutions”. During an earlier press conference, Salem said the Sudanese government was “open to dialogue on the grounds that it is the representative of the people of Sudan”, affirming its rejection of equating the army with the Rapid Support Forces.
The war in Sudan has been raging since April 2023 between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. It has killed tens of thousands of people, while about 13 million have been displaced, according to UN and international estimates.
