International mediators meeting in Cairo on Wednesday demanded an immediate humanitarian truce in Sudan, warning that the escalating conflict threatens the stability of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, chairing the fifth meeting of the Consultative Mechanism to Enhance the Coordination of Peace Efforts in Sudan, said the crisis requires “concerted international and regional efforts” to “speed up the end of bloodshed.” He emphasised that the current stage of the war carries “grave repercussions” for regional peace and security, particularly for neighbouring states.
Abdelatty outlined Egypt’s “red lines” for a resolution, which include the preservation of Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity, the categorical rejection of secession for any part of the country, and the protection of national state institutions. He stated that any sustainable ceasefire must lead to a “comprehensive political process with Sudanese ownership” that prevents the creation of “parallel entities” to the state.
The high-level meeting included the United Nations’ personal envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, and Massad Boulos, senior advisor to the U.S. President for Arab and African Affairs. They were joined by Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed El-Khereiji, Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Abdoulkader Hussein Omar, and UAE Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan.
During the session, Boulos confirmed that the first shipment of life-saving aid in 18 months has successfully reached El Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur. He stated that more than 1.3 metric tonnes of food, water purification supplies, and health kits arrived following “months of negotiations facilitated by the United States.”
“While we press the warring parties for a nationwide humanitarian truce, we will continue to support mechanisms that facilitate the unhindered delivery of aid to areas suffering from famine, malnutrition, and displacement,” Boulos said in a statement. He urged the international community to increase contributions to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The delegations, which also included representatives from Britain, China, Russia, France, Germany, Turkey, Norway, Qatar, Iraq, and Angola, as well as the European Union and the African Union, emphasised the need for “unhindered” humanitarian access across all of Sudan.
Abdelatty noted that Egypt’s commitment to peace was formalised through the “Sudan Neighbours Initiative” launched in July 2023, and reiterated the importance of the international Quad mechanism—comprising Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and the United States—in achieving a lasting ceasefire.
The war, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces, has triggered one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Millions have been displaced, and the UN warns that the continued lack of a political solution is putting “extreme pressure on already scarce resources” throughout the region.