US envoy meets Sudanese army chief in Egypt to revive war talks

US presidential envoy Massad Boulos met Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Egypt on Oct. 4, according to The Hindu, as the United States and other intermediaries sought to renew negotiations aimed at ending Sudan’s war. The Associated Press said the unusual meeting between senior officials was meant to intensify efforts to bring the sides into negotiations.¹²³⁴

A renewed diplomatic push

According to The Hindu, Boulos, President Donald Trump’s envoy and the US senior adviser for Arab and African affairs, held talks with Burhan during a lunch organised by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi alongside an African Union gathering. Egypt’s presidency separately said Sissi met Burhan in New Alamein during the organisation’s eighth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting.²⁶

Boulos said the United States remained engaged with Egypt, as well as partners from the region and beyond, in seeking a political resolution. He also said the United States was prepared to support broad talks among Sudanese political groups, with the process intended to produce an initial plan for the country’s future and eventually lead to civilian-led government.¹²³⁴

The Hindu reported that Boulos and fellow officials in the Trump administration said a deal among regional actors could bring about an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, troop pullbacks and secure corridors for assistance. The same outlet reported that repeated attempts at peace talks had not stopped the fighting.²

The encounter came less than two weeks after reports that Washington had withheld Burhan’s visa ahead of a planned United Nations appearance. Sudanese and other sources cited in reports linked that decision to a US-backed ceasefire proposal opposed by Khartoum. Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, Sudan’s foreign minister, said the United States had refused the visa; the State Department would not comment on the matter, referring to privacy regulations.¹²⁴⁵

War and humanitarian emergency

The Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting since April 2023. The conflict followed a breakdown between them over issues including how their forces would be integrated during a proposed transition to civilian government.¹²⁴⁵

The war has driven mass displacement, although published estimates differ: The Hindu and Associated Press put the number at about 13 million, while other reports said it exceeded 14 million. Many parts of Sudan have been pushed into famine, and the Associated Press reported a death toll of at least 59,000. The conflict has also produced waves of killings driven by ethnic identity.¹²³⁴

The US government has alleged that the Rapid Support Forces committed genocide and that Sudan’s military committed war crimes. At the same time, the State Department has said that neither armed force nor its leader constitutes legitimate constitutional rule for Sudan, placing the diplomatic focus on an inclusive process and eventual civilian government.¹³⁴⁵

Egypt’s position

Egypt’s presidency said Cairo supports Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national institutions, and is pursuing regional and international efforts to reach a political solution and reduce humanitarian suffering. It said Burhan thanked Egypt for its political and humanitarian assistance and for hosting Sudanese citizens displaced by the war. Burhan also argued that Sudan’s state institutions should not be treated as equivalent to rebel or parallel bodies.⁶