Key Takeaways
- Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have signaled a conditional acceptance of a new U.S.-led peace proposal, provided the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) execute a total withdrawal from all occupied cities.
- The U.S. framework calls for an immediate 90-day humanitarian truce to facilitate negotiations for a permanent ceasefire and a transition to civilian-led governance.
- The RSF has reportedly welcomed the proposal in writing, though the military's demand for a full exit from urban centers remains a primary diplomatic hurdle.
- International pressure is mounting as the conflict enters its third year, with the UN warning of "red alert" conditions in North Kordofan and Darfur.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have formally responded to a U.S.-backed peace initiative, indicating a willingness to engage if the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) vacate all urban areas seized since the conflict began in April 2023. According to internal documents and senior officials, the military-led government objects to the proposal's current language of "limited withdrawals," insisting instead on a comprehensive exit from all occupied cities.
The U.S. State Department's latest plan envisions an immediate 90-day humanitarian truce followed by a structured transition to a civilian-led government that excludes the Muslim Brotherhood and any militia elements involved in atrocities. While the RSF has expressed its support for the framework in a written response, the military leadership maintains that any ceasefire without a full RSF withdrawal risks legitimizing the paramilitary group as a parallel state authority.
Market observers and regional analysts note that the deadlock over the sequencing of the withdrawal remains the most significant barrier to a lasting settlement. The U.S. proposal also includes provisions for a unified national army and a disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) program. However, the SAF leadership, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has frequently reiterated that the war can only end with the total defeat or disarmament of the RSF.
Diplomatic efforts are being spearheaded by Massad Boulos, the U.S. Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs, who recently expressed optimism regarding the progress of the negotiations despite the public rhetoric from both sides. The international community, including the United Nations and the African Union, continues to push for a resolution as the humanitarian crisis worsens, with over 12 million people displaced and 24 million facing acute food insecurity.
The conflict has also become a focal point for regional tensions, with the SAF accusing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of supplying weapons to the RSF—a claim the UAE denies. In response to the ongoing violence, U.S. Senators recently introduced the PEACE in Sudan Act of 2026, which seeks to provide the administration with additional tools to sanction external actors fueling the war and to bolster the current negotiation track.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.