A planned meeting of the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sudan's war has been postponed after Egypt rejected a proposal to exclude the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from a transitional government.
The meeting, which was scheduled to take place in Washington this week, was intended to agree on a roadmap to end the civil war that has killed tens of thousands and triggered the world's largest hunger and displacement crises.
According to Egypt's Foreign Ministry spokesman, the talks aimed to “chart a path towards negotiations to end the war.”
However, Egypt, which maintains close ties with the ruling military institution in Sudan, opposed the proposal, considering it an indirect targeting of its military allies in Sudan. According to observers, Egypt's stance reflects a strategic direction aimed at preserving the current military regime, as it is seen as the sole guarantor of Cairo's security and economic interests.
This Egyptian rejection, despite Saudi and Emirati approval to discuss and agree on the matter, effectively derailed the efforts of the international quartet and hindered what was seen as an important attempt to build consensus among the four countries regarding a resolution to the conflict.
By sticking to the military option in Sudan, Egypt weakens the chances for international consensus-driven solutions and obstructs efforts to create a comprehensive peaceful transition model.
The crisis also highlights the West's failure to provide a unified vision for post-coup transitions and raises the question of the effectiveness of its contradictory interventions in the continent's affairs.
Another source close to the negotiations said the United States circulated a draft agreement that “everybody accepted, including the UAE,” but Egypt rejected the part stating that “the transitional period should not be controlled by any of the warring parties.” The United States then postponed the meeting, the source added.
The United States has imposed sanctions on Sudanese generals over alleged atrocities and does not support their involvement in a future government. Washington has instead proposed engaging civilian leaders ousted in the 2021 military coup.
“Cairo insisted on involving the Sudanese Armed Forces,” said a Western diplomat. “That demand stalled the process.”
Meanwhile, in a separate diplomatic track, Sudanese civil society groups met with African Union (AU) officials in Addis Ababa on Monday and presented what they described as evidence of widespread violations including genocide and sexual slavery. The groups characterised the war as “foreign aggression” backed by external forces using the RSF as a tool to dismantle the state.
AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat is planning to convene a new round of talks in late July or August, according to sources familiar with the initiative. Sudan’s military-led government has dispatched envoys across African capitals to push for an end to its suspension from the bloc.
The AU suspended Sudan’s membership after the 2021 coup. The country remains divided between areas controlled by the army and those under RSF control, with both sides accused of widespread atrocities.
The Quartet, comprising the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has been trying to push for peace in Sudan. The latest breakdown signals deep divisions over who should lead the country’s transition and how to bring the fighting to an end.
