“Resolving the crisis in Sudan is a deeply felt concern of President [Donald] Trump, and one that reflects our shared responsibility to the Sudanese people,” said Massad Boulos, U.S. Senior Adviser to the President for Africa, Arab, and Middle Eastern Affairs at the United Nations.
Today, Sudan faces the biggest and gravest humanitarian catastrophe in the world, said Mr. Boulos:
“After more than 1,000 days of needless conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the toll is staggering. Over 12 million people have been displaced - making this the largest displacement crisis globally, with Egypt bearing the biggest burden of refugees, followed by Chad.”
More than 34 million people, 72 percent of Sudan’s population, require humanitarian assistance. Over 21 million Sudanese are acutely food insecure, with famine conditions confirmed in parts of Darfur South Kordofan and risk of further spread.
There are no good actors in this conflict, stressed Mr. Boulos. Both the RSF and the SAF have committed serious human rights violations and abuses. Both bear responsibility for prolonging this war, deepening the suffering of their own people, and threatening to drag the broader region into conflict as well.
“We must also acknowledge the destabilizing role of entrenched Islamist networks,” including elements of the Muslim Brotherhood, “that have sought to exploit this conflict,” said Mr. Boulos.
“Let me be clear: efforts by Islamist networks or any extremist political movement to manipulate this conflict, derail a civilian transition, or reassert authoritarian control will not be tolerated by the United States.”
The U.S. has sanctioned the RSF commanders for human rights violations, including ethnic killings, torture, starvation tactics, and sexual violence. The U.S. has also imposed visa restrictions on another commander implicated in gross violations of human rights.
There is no military solution to this conflict. Continued fighting will only fracture Sudan further and risk permanent state collapse, warned Senior Advisor Boulos:
“That is why we are working closely with partners. . .including the United Kingdom, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, and several others - to press for an immediate humanitarian truce, and without preconditions. Such a truce must guarantee sustained, unhindered humanitarian access across conflict lines and borders.”
The United States has helped mobilize $1.5 billion in new pledges to the Sudan Humanitarian Fund. The U.S. itself has contributed a total of $2.5 billion since the beginning of this crisis. But the fighting must stop if assistance is to reach the tens of millions in need.
A sustainable resolution requires a transition to a civilian-led government that is inclusive, representative, and accountable, while preserving and reforming core state institutions so that the country does not descend into institutional collapse.
It requires five things: restoring a strong constitutional framework, safeguarding national institutions from partisan capture, dismantling parallel patronage and militia structures, and preventing extremist domination of the state. It also requires preparing for free and fair elections.
The Sudanese people have demonstrated extraordinary resilience and courage. The United States remains committed to working to end this tragic conflict and to support a peaceful, civilian future for Sudan.