Masad Boulos: “We Cannot Allow the Situation in Sudan to Deteriorate Any Further”

Masad Boulos, Senior Advisor to the U.S. President for Arab and African Affairs, warned that the crisis in Sudan could have serious implications for the safety of navigation in the Red Sea and for stability in West Africa.

He stated, “We cannot allow the situation to deteriorate any further than it already has.”

Boulos revealed that a range of options is being considered by the United States to deal with the crisis in Sudan. He emphasized that Washington will not hesitate to take any available measures but remains committed to pursuing peaceful approaches to reach mutual understandings. However, he noted that other options remain on the table should diplomacy fail.

Boulos stressed that “the solution in Sudan must be a Sudanese-Sudanese one”, explaining that the Quad Group (United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) plays only a facilitating role, helping Sudanese parties reach a resolution.

He denied reports of direct negotiations between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Washington, clarifying that what took place was not negotiations, but rather engagement in which the Quad Group presented a proposal for a three-month humanitarian truce. The document was delivered to both sides, who responded positively and with cautious approval.

Boulos urged the RSF to take the proposal seriously and move forward with it, especially if it gains full control over El-Fasher, the Darfur region, and parts of Kordofan and other areas.

Speaking to Al Jazeera Mubasher, Boulos said he is in constant contact with both General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (head of the Sudanese Armed Forces) and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti” (leader of the RSF), though he declined to disclose details of those discussions for security reasons.

> “What I can say is that we maintain regular communication—by phone and other means—and that this dialogue is positive. We’ve achieved certain understandings and small steps forward. They may be limited, but they’re important, as the path ahead is long and could take weeks or even months.
Boulos called on both parties to urgently study and approve the proposed three-month humanitarian truce, especially in light of the recent developments in El-Fasher.

He also confirmed that Washington is working to bridge the gap between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, but declined to provide details about their ongoing discussions.

Boulos expressed cautious optimism about reaching a lasting solution to the conflict in Sudan, stressing that there is no viable path forward other than peaceful dialogue, and that a military solution is not possible.

He concluded by noting that Qatar, Turkey, the European Union, the African Union, and neighboring countries have all expressed readiness to help resolve the Sudanese conflict, adding:

> “Things cannot remain as they are.”