Sudan PM, U.S. clash over path to ceasefire at UN
At a December 22, 2025 U.N. Security Council session in New York, Sudan’s transitional prime minister Kamil Idris unveiled a domestically drafted peace initiative to end the nearly 1,000‑day war with the Rapid Support Forces, calling for a UN‑, African Union‑ and Arab League‑monitored ceasefire, RSF withdrawal from occupied areas, encampment and disarmament. The United States, through deputy ambassador Jeffrey Bartos, instead urged both Sudanese belligerents to immediately accept a Trump‑administration‑backed humanitarian truce proposed by the so‑called Quad mediators, while the UAE and other council members warned that unilateral moves by either side risk prolonging the conflict and stressed the need to move from truce to permanent ceasefire and a civilian‑led political transition.
📌 Key Facts
- Sudan’s Prime Minister Kamil Idris presented a 'homemade' peace plan to the U.N. Security Council on Dec. 22, 2025, centered on a ceasefire monitored by the UN, African Union and Arab League, RSF withdrawal from all occupied areas, confinement to supervised camps and disarmament.
- The Trump administration, via U.S. deputy ambassador Jeffrey Bartos, pressed both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to accept a separate U.S.-supported humanitarian truce proposal 'without preconditions immediately.'
- UAE Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, speaking as a member of the Quad mediators, said there is an immediate opportunity to implement the humanitarian truce, but cautioned that unilateral efforts by either warring party are unsustainable and that a truce must be followed by a permanent ceasefire and a path to civilian rule independent of the belligerents.
📊 Relevant Data
Sudanese Arabs constitute approximately 70% of Sudan's population, with the remaining 30% comprising various African ethnic groups such as Fur, Beja, Nuba, and Fallata.
Demographics of Sudan - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) primarily consist of Arab ethnic groups, particularly Baggara Arabs, and have been accused of targeting non-Arab communities like the Masalit, Fur, and Zaghawa in Darfur and Kordofan regions.
Darfur genocide (2023–present) - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
As of February 2025, the Sudan civil war has caused over 8.8 million internal displacements and more than 3.5 million refugees fleeing the country.
Sudanese civil war (2023–present) - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
Death toll estimates for the Sudan civil war since April 2023 range up to 400,000, with significant underreporting due to difficulties in accessing conflict zones.
Civil War in Sudan | Global Conflict Tracker — Council on Foreign Relations
The United Arab Emirates has provided arms, financial support, and military supplies to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), linked to gold smuggling interests in Sudan.
Foreign Influence is Fueling the War in Sudan — Foreign Policy Research Institute
Iran has supplied drones to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), contributing to their military advances in the conflict.
Sudan’s bloody conflict is plagued by foreign influence — CNN
Russia has provided arms and military support to both sides, with initial ties to RSF via Wagner Group and later support to SAF.
Sudan war: Could involved foreign powers stop the war there? — DW
Historical ceasefires in Sudan's conflicts, such as those during the Second Sudanese Civil War, often failed multiple times before the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, with many short-term agreements collapsing due to lack of enforcement.
Second Sudanese Civil War - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
In African conflicts, ceasefires linked to negotiations have a 26% success rate for durability compared to 13% for those without such linkages.
Can Sudan’s Civilian Front Bring Peace? — The National Interest