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As U.S. President Donald Trump touts a record of securing peace deals across the globe, the White House is mobilizing efforts to quell a bloody African conflict that the United Nations considers to be the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today. But as Sudan‘s civil war escalates, with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces seizing control of the Darfur region capital of el-Fasher from the Sudanese Armed Forces, a conflict already imbued with deep-rooted local feuds, widespread reports of atrocities and competing international interests will prove a steep challenge for the administration. To navigate the precarious steps ahead, U.S. officials are working with counterparts from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, part of the so-called “Quad” established following the outbreak of the conflict in April 2023. The four powers advanced their collective endeavor last month through a five-point joint statement that would serve as a roadmap to a negotiated end to the war and U.S. officials told Newsweek that discussions have since been held to bolster the initiative amid worsening conditions. And whereas Trump’s predecessor, then-President Joe Biden, was unsuccessful in advancing a lasting resolution to the war, experts argue that the current administration’s decision to channel influence and—when necessary, exert pressure—vis-à-vis Arab partners could prove more effective, as was the case this month in securing a ceasefire in Gaza. “Since the earliest days of the current war, it has been clear that the road to peace ran through Arab capitals, particularly Cairo, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi,” Alex de Waal, executive director of Tuft University’s World Peace Foundation, told Newsweek. “The belligerents cannot pursue the war at scale without external support and stemming that support is a precondition for making progress. “The Biden administration failed to pursue this. It would have required serious engagement from the secretary of state or president, and neither were prepared to do that. So, they handed it off to the Africa Bureau at State, which was guaranteed to go nowhere, because no Africa bureau official has sufficient standing in those Arab capitals. And as feared, that is exactly what happened.” Now, he argued, Secretary of State Marco Rubio “has got the formula correct for the first step and the outline plan for the peace process is surely the correct one.” A Newsweek illustration depicts Sudan war “Quad” leaders (from left) UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. The Trump administration has thus far pursued a two-pronged approach to the war. On the international level, this entails working with fellow Quad members to push the five-point plan unveiled in September. “The United States continues to engage with our Quad partners to coordinate efforts toward achieving durable peace in Sudan, including implementing the commitments outlined in our September 12 statement,” a State Department spokesperson told Newsweek. “These commitments focus on securing a humanitarian truce, establishing a permanent ceasefire, advancing a transition to civilian governance, and halting external support that fuels the conflict. “The Quad is focused on addressing both temporary, localized cessations of violence in el-Fasher and other areas of urgent need, as well as nationwide agreements that can pave the way for lasting peace. We are deeply concerned about the situation in El Fasher, which has been cut off from humanitarian assistance for far too long.” A senior administration official further added that “recent Quad meetings have focused on laying the groundwork for a ceasefire and subsequent peace process and coordinating members to further the objectives of the September 12 Quad joint statement.” “The goal is to pave the path for a cessation of violence, alleviation of suffering for civilians, and a return to long-term stability as a pathway to future prosperity,” the senior administration official told Newsweek. On the local front, the State Department spokesperson noted that “the United States also continues to actively and directly engage the RSF and SAF at all levels, with the immediate goals of pressing toward a durable peace and ensuring unhindered humanitarian access to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people.” “Ending wars is a priority for President Trump and the United States remains focused on working with our partners and other stakeholders to resolve the crisis in Sudan,” the spokesperson added. “Engagement with both the RSF and SAF is essential to achieving this goal. Given the immediate urgency of de-escala...
