James Robbins, senior fellow at the American Council for Policy, said a ceasefire in Sudan is the most urgent step at this stage, emphasizing that any discussion of reform or political restructuring is meaningless unless both sides first put down their weapons.
Robbins said the United States is working with the international community on a feasible plan but stressed that the foundation must be a government–RSF agreement to halt fighting and begin a diplomatic process toward future solutions.
Speaking to Cairo News Channel’s Tamer Hanafi, Robbins said the current situation is extremely difficult, with both parties appearing determined to continue the war — a dynamic that blocks political efforts and undermines attempts at de-escalation.
He added that Washington is pushing for the formation of a democratic government acceptable to both sides, but ongoing violence makes such a vision hard to implement, even if preliminary frameworks for a political path can be drafted.
Robbins also addressed the debate surrounding what the U.S. has termed “military reform,” which includes removing elements linked to the former regime or extremist Islamist groups from the army and security services.
He said discussing such reforms may be premature but insisted that Washington does not want Sudan to return to dictatorship or extremist governance.
U.S. priorities, he stressed, focus on supporting a non-extremist state free from the political systems that previously harmed Sudan — though the feasibility of this vision remains uncertain amid escalating violence.
