World leaders press for ceasefire in Sudan as UN gathering intensifies

World leaders at the United Nations General Assembly stepped up behind-the-scenes efforts to end Sudan’s war, with key powers coordinating to press the warring sides toward a ceasefire and a political transition. In a coordinated push, representatives from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint roadmap for a humanitarian truce and a civilian-led transition, a move that officials described as a potential turning point in the two-year conflict. Alan Boswell, the International Crisis Group’s project director for the Horn of Africa, said this year’s high-level gathering could be a “make-or-break” moment for stopping the fighting. “For the first time since the war broke out more than two years ago, Sudan’s most influential outside powers agreed this month on a roadmap to end the war,” he said in a statement. “Now comes the huge task of trying to convince Sudan’s warring parties to stop fighting.”

The fighting, which began in mid-April 2023 when rival military and paramilitary commanders clashed in Khartoum and spread to Darfur and beyond, has exacted a devastating toll. U.N. agencies say at least 40,000 people have been killed, nearly 13 million displaced and tens of millions face severe hunger or food insecurity, underscoring the urgency of an enduring pause in hostilities.

In a key development after a summer of discussions, the Quad’s joint statement on Sept. 12 called for a humanitarian truce for an initial three months to deliver desperately needed aid throughout Sudan, followed by a permanent ceasefire. The Quad members also said an inclusive and transparent transition process should be launched and concluded within nine months to establish a civilian-led government with broad-based legitimacy and accountability. The group met on the sidelines of the General Assembly to discuss the roadmap’s implementation, and a separate session focused on de-escalation was convened by the African Union, the European Union and the foreign ministers of Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

A statement issued by the AU, EU, France, Germany, the UK, Denmark, Norway and Canada after that meeting urged the warring government and the Rapid Support Forces to resume direct negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire. It condemned the ongoing involvement of unnamed foreign countries and “non-state actors” and urged all external actors to stop fueling the conflict. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his State of the World address at the assembly’s opening, echoed that call, urging all parties to end external support for the fighting and to protect civilians. “In Sudan, civilians are being slaughtered, starved, and silenced,” he said. “Women and girls face unspeakable violence.”

War crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur are under scrutiny by the International Criminal Court, whose deputy prosecutor said in July that the tribunal believes such crimes are taking place. The RSF and its allies have announced parallel governance in territories they control, a claim the U.N. and Security Council warned could threaten Sudan’s territorial integrity and complicate the conflict further. Sudan’s Transitional Prime Minister Kamil El-Tayeb Idris, addressing the assembly, stressed Sudan’s sovereignty and said the civilian government he formed would pursue a roadmap that includes a ceasefire and the withdrawal of the RSF from occupied cities, including el-Fasher. Idris spoke of a national dialogue that would include all political and societal forces to lay the groundwork for elections deemed free and fair, while engaging constructively with regional and international partners.

Chad’s Prime Minister Allah Maye Halina also spoke Thursday, noting his country hosts more than 2 million Sudanese refugees, including 1.5 million since April 2023. He urged the international community to bolster assistance for refugees and stressed Chad’s neutrality while offering to contribute to any peace initiative, arguing that the crisis cannot be resolved by force alone.

Together, the discussions at the United Nations reflect a sustained international effort to press for a ceasefire, humanitarian access and a credible political path forward for Sudan, even as the humanitarian crisis deepens and fighting persists in multiple regions. While the international community coordinates behind the scenes, aid deliveries, protections for civilians and the prospect of an inclusive political process remain the central tests of any agreed plan.