Sudanese Developments, Proposed Initiatives

Al-Ittihad, UAE, April 27

International and regional efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis will progress in multiple contexts, with the most significant being an approach taken from the top down. The international quartet, consisting of the United States, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, has taken a more active stance in the conflict that has been widely accepted, especially due to the presence of two influential Arab states, which gives it momentum and recognition from both warring parties. This must be taken into account. The African Union is actively pursuing an initiative, and the African Commission is taking action, to confront the intricate reality of the ongoing and likely continuing conflicts. Meanwhile, IGAD countries—Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda—continue to push for a cease-fire and a lasting armistice through negotiations. This is why these mediations, as well as those proposed by regional neighbors, Israel, and Turkey, require real oversight and safeguards to ensure that both sides accept the proposed arrangement. The international rehabilitation of Sudan is a delicate undertaking, as the removal of Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism necessitated global consensus. Along with the reintegration of Sudan into the international community and the forgiveness of some of its debts, this process requires the country to accept responsibility as an international actor. Any other methods of resolution will be costly. Ultimately, the goal of international mediators is to bring about a cease-fire first. This will be followed by negotiations between the two parties involved in the conflict, though the intensification of military action and the acquisition of new territory may complicate matters and prolong the current crisis. —Tarek Fahmy (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)