US President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on 20 January 2025 | AFP
U.S. President Donald Trump said the war in Sudan is “very close” to ending as Washington intensifies peace efforts with Middle Eastern partners, even as fighting and political divisions persist.
U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Thursday that efforts to end Sudan’s multi-year civil war are nearing a conclusion, adding that his administration is working “very hard” toward a resolution.
Trump made the remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, saying the United States is coordinating with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt on a peace initiative to halt the fighting that has devastated Sudan since April 2023.
The conflict pits the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and has caused tens of thousands of deaths and millions of displacements, creating what the U.N. describes as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other regional leaders have pressed Trump to take a leading role in brokering peace, with Trump’s administration saying it has already begun working on a peace deal at Riyadh’s urging.
Despite Trump’s optimism, analysts and officials emphasize that peace talks have repeatedly faltered, and key Sudanese military leaders have continued military operations rather than agreeing to ceasefire terms.
Analysts warn that a real peace deal won’t happen unless both the SAF and RSF actually agree to step aside. So far, every attempt at a ceasefire has fallen apart over the same old issues: who gets the power and how to get food to the people.
