'We have a text': US says peace plan for Sudan to be revealed this week
The US has readied the text of a peace plan for Sudan's nearly three-year-old civil war that it says has the approval of the members of the "Quad", senior advisor to the US president on Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, revealed on Tuesday.
The Quad for Sudan is made up of the US Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt.
The group had initially unveiled a coordinated roadmap back in September aimed at ending the fighting between the Sudanese army and the breakaway paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
"We've been working on this comprehensive peace plan for at least three months now that should be acceptable to both sides," Boulos said at a fundraiser held to gather pledges for immediate humanitarian aid for Sudan.
Boulos said the plan would be unveiled this week.
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He added that he has heard "promising remarks" from Sudan's military chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and that the US has been "closely engaging" with members of the RSF.
What he would not specify - despite being pressed by reporters - is exactly what, or who, is the obstacle to the plan's implementation, only saying that it is "quite comprehensive".
The text is built on five pillars: addressing the humanitarian crisis; protecting civilians and coordinating their safe return; transitioning to a permanent ceasefire; instituting a political process toward a civilian-led government; and reconstruction, for which a fund will be set up, Boulos explained.
He named the UK, Norway, and Egypt in particular as working on the government transition process.
Once it is agreed to by the warring parties, Boulos said the plan will be taken to the UN Security Council for an international mandate.
But that won't be all.
After the UN, President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, which was designed for Gaza, will give the plan the final seal of approval.
Boulos was asked if this means the Board of Peace is indeed meant to rival the UN, and perhaps supersede it.
"Let's say they're equal. Let's put it this way. They're complementary," he responded.
"The Board of Peace is a smaller group that is quite enthusiastic. Of course, their current focus is on Gaza. But why not? I know that the Board is interested in looking at Sudan and helping with Sudan. So as soon as we ready, from a housekeeping point of view, we will present to them this plan and seek support from them.... It doesn't in any way affect the UN or the UN Security Council."
Obstacles?
Middle East Eye approached the Egyptian Ambassador to the US, who attended the event, about where the peace plan for Sudan stands.
"We need to see eye to eye much, much clearer," Motaz Zahran said.
Sudan's ambassador to the US, Mohamed Abdalla Idris, was not present at the Trump administration's fundraiser for his country, despite representation from the African Union as well as Chad, which is housing some two million Sudanese refugees.
MEE reached out to Idris to ask about his non-appearance, but did not hear back in time for publication.
He had previously made it clear his country would not accept a UAE-affiliated peace deal to end the war.
MEE approached the UAE's ambassador to the US, Yousef al-Otaiba, for comment at the fundraiser but was rebuffed.
Calling Abu Dhabi's support for the RSF "destructive", Idris told reporters in November that Sudan would not accept a peace proposal that involves the UAE as a key party.
"It's unacceptable to us," he said.
"The United Arab Emirates is a party to the conflict, so it cannot play both roles - become a party, and then become a mediator, no."
Humanitarian crisis
At Tuesday's fundraiser, the UAE announced a $500m aid package for Sudan via its Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, Lana Nusseibeh, who said her country's "commitment is longstanding," and that "we should be more forward leaning and call out those who are obstructing aid".
"The Muslim Brotherhood," she added, "is destabilising the region".
The UAE believes that Muslim Brotherhood-aligned elements are exerting control over the Sudanese Armed Forces, and as a column in the National Interest argued last week, "With the Muslim Brotherhood embedded at the heart of al-Burhan’s regime, peace will remain a far-off prospect."
The Muslim Brotherhood is designated as a terrorist organisation in the UAE. In the US, President Donald Trump recently designated three of its branches.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait's ambassadors also reiterated their support for aid projects in Sudan, though did not specify a dollar figure. The US will commit another $200m on top of its previous $500m contribution.
A total of $1.5bn in pledges is expected in total, Boulos said.
The United Nations emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher added that the full slate of donors and funds will be published next month.
His target for "visible progress" in the scale-up of aid is the first day of Ramadan, he said, which is set to begin on or around 18 February.
According to the UN's relief agency, UN-Ocha, there are more than 21 million people in Sudan facing an acute food and water shortage, out of a population of nearly 52 million.
10 million people are estimated to be internally displaced, with another four million having fled to nearby countries.
More than 150,000 people are believed to have been killed since a power-sharing coalition broke down in Sudan in April 2023.
On Tuesday, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker called it "the world's worst humanitarian crisis".
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