A report by the French magazine Africa Intelligence, specializing in African intelligence affairs, revealed that Sudanese Sovereign Council Chairman and Armed Forces Commander, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, informed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Africa advisor, Masad Bolos, that he is, in principle, willing to engage in the new American diplomatic initiative on Sudan—but under specific and clear conditions.
According to the magazine’s October 21, 2025 report, Burhan made it clear to Washington that he would not participate in any initiative “at any cost.” His engagement would depend on practical commitments that ensure the cessation of external interventions, particularly military and financial support provided to militias by regional actors.
Sources told the magazine that Burhan demanded the United States issue a decisive warning to the UAE to halt its military and financial support for the Rapid Support Forces, stressing that continued backing undermines any political or humanitarian settlement prospects.
Burhan also emphasized that any negotiation process must respect Sudanese sovereignty and territorial integrity and avoid externally imposed solutions that override national will or consolidate militia power at the expense of the state.
The report noted that these positions come as Washington seeks to revive a new negotiation track aimed at unifying regional and international efforts to end the war, amid clear divergences between the Sudanese army’s vision and foreign-led initiatives, such as those by the International Quartet (U.S., Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE).
Observers believe Burhan’s conditions are designed to strengthen his negotiating position before any potential meetings with American envoys and to assert the army’s role as the sole legitimate representative of the Sudanese state in any future political settlement.
