Speaking after the G7 meeting in Niagara, Canada, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the dynamics of the Sudanese conflict are hampered by a tendency for the Rapid Support Force (RSF) to formally engage without adhering to the agreement. According to Europa News Agency, Rubio stressed the difficulty of reaching a negotiated solution when one side has shown no respect for the agreed cease-fire agreement or the basic principles of protecting civilians.
Rubio, who met with representatives of the so-called Quartet from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United States, explained that the continued foreign aid to the RSF, especially the supply of arms and military supplies, is one of the main factors aggravating the Sudanese crisis. According to the European Press Agency, due to the deteriorating situation on the ground and the continued military expansion of the armed group in the African country, the US government has urgently requested that all types of support to this armed group be stopped.
According to information published by the European Press Agency, Rubio emphasized the need for concrete achievements and immediate action to cut off the flow of military and logistical support to the RSF. U.S. officials have linked the armed group’s failure to commit to a lack of intent to respect a recent humanitarian ceasefire, and emphasized that the group is justifying its alleged human rights abuses as specific incidents, which Rubio argued are repeated actions.
He told Europa News Agency that the main diplomatic challenge lies in the fact that the RSF “accepts things but never follows through”, making it impossible to build trust at the negotiating table and undermining any initiative towards a political solution. The US foreign affairs chief accused the group of not expressing a real desire to abide by the agreement, which aims to reduce violence and improve access to basic aid for war-affected populations.
The situation, detailed by the European Press Agency, is characterized by the militia’s stubborn refusal to respect the peace process and the presence of external actors facilitating the transfer of military resources, including drones, into areas under RSF control. Although Rubio acknowledged that both countries and groups supporting the arrival of supplies from outside Sudan had been identified, he avoided explicitly confirming the United Arab Emirates’ participation, preferring to focus his remarks on achieving immediate and concrete results for halting aid.
“We need concrete results, and they have to come very quickly. Otherwise, what is already a farce will get even worse,” Europa Press reported, quoting Rubio. Mr. Rubio stressed that the United States will not accept that a series of dialogues among the Quartet countries will lead to delays in effective decision-making while increasing the suffering of the Sudanese people.
According to the European Press Agency, the cause of the conflict lies in disagreements that arose during the integration of the RSF into Sudan’s armed forces, a process that failed and caused the collapse of the political transition facilitated after the overthrow of Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s government in 2019. Adding to these disagreements was the 2021 military coup that removed then-Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, deepening institutional instability and precipitating the outbreak of civil war.
According to the European Press Agency, the protracted hostilities have created one of the world’s most serious humanitarian crises. Millions of people have been forced from their homes, creating a flow of internally displaced persons and refugees to neighboring countries. Conditions in the camps include a lack of protection, limited access to health services, and food shortages, as well as outbreaks of infectious diseases due to destruction of health infrastructure and drinking water. The destruction of critical infrastructure has made it impossible to meet the basic needs of hundreds of thousands of victims, worsening the spread of the epidemic and limiting the arrival of international aid, the European Press Agency reported.
Regarding the international role, Mr. Rubio reiterated to the European Press Agency the diplomatic efforts maintained by Washington to engage all relevant actors in the search for a negotiated solution, with the aim of guaranteeing the safety and well-being of civilians. U.S. officials have argued that a definitive solution requires an immediate end to all external support for armed groups and a commitment to protecting human rights.
The European Press Agency concluded that external material and logistics contributions are prolonging the conflict and exacerbating the suffering of Sudanese societies already suffering from forced displacement, lack of vital resources and deteriorating health conditions. The situation continues to deteriorate while diplomatic channels seek to overcome the challenges posed by the lack of effective engagement of adversaries and the intervention of foreign actors.
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