Trump Adviser Pushes for “Quartet” Plan in Sudan

Sudan Events – Agencies

Donald Trump’s special adviser on African affairs, Massad Boulos, has launched efforts to advance the implementation of the international “Quartet’s” roadmap on Sudan’s war. The Quartet, comprising the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, has been working on a framework to address the conflict.

Boulos visited Ethiopia last week, where he discussed the Quartet’s vision with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. He explained that the talks aimed to coordinate between the Quartet, the African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in order to implement the roadmap and achieve tangible results within set timelines.

According to diplomats and analysts, Boulos’s mission will necessarily involve direct consultations with key African states that influence Sudan’s crisis. These may include Kenya, South Africa, and Chad, as well as non-permanent African members of the UN Security Council, in an effort to rally support for any African Union resolutions on Sudan.

A Two-Track Roadmap
A former Sudanese diplomat described Boulos’s regional consultations as crucial both in timing and potential outcomes, noting that they could secure significant backing for the Quartet’s roadmap.

He added that Washington has signaled seriousness in seeking to end the war, particularly through recent moves to forge consensus and unify the Quartet’s divergent positions into a single vision. The plan, he said, addresses both regional concerns and broader interests, and can be seen as a two-track design — military and political — running in parallel.

The diplomat, who requested anonymity, stressed that the U.S. and its Quartet partners recognize that any credible settlement must involve the African Union and IGAD. He recalled that both organizations were incorporated into the Jeddah platform in October 2023 to facilitate negotiations between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The Quartet’s roadmap includes a three-month humanitarian truce, to be followed by a permanent ceasefire and Sudanese-led political dialogue culminating in the formation of an independent civilian government within nine months.

Mixed Reactions
The plan has been widely welcomed by political and civil groups opposing the war, including the Civil Democratic Front “Sumood” led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, as well as by the parallel government aligned with the RSF. However, Sudan’s army-backed government responded cautiously, endorsing “any international effort” while rejecting any questioning of the legitimacy of state institutions or their being equated with the RSF.

Notably, the Quartet’s roadmap excludes Islamist factions linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and loyalists of the former regime from participation in any transitional arrangements or decisions shaping Sudan’s future.

Meanwhile, the African Union has invited several Sudanese civilian groups to meetings scheduled in Addis Ababa from October 6–10. Invitations were extended to the “Sumood” coalition and the “Democratic Bloc,” but excluded the pro-RSF “Ta’sis” coalition. In response, “Sumood” declined to attend, citing the absence of inclusivity.

Binding Decisions Needed
Conflict-resolution expert Fouad Hikmat argued that turning the Quartet’s proposals into an acceptable peace process requires authorization from the AU Peace and Security Council, with the Union formally adopting or amending the roadmap. He stressed the importance of UN support to ensure decisions are binding on all parties.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Hikmat said Boulos’s visit to Ethiopia underlined the pivotal role the AU can play as a “genuine and active partner” in delivering peace in Sudan.

He added that if Sudan’s warring parties return to the Jeddah platform to discuss a ceasefire and humanitarian truce under the Quartet’s framework, it will be vital to overcome the shortcomings of previous talks by agreeing on an international monitoring mechanism to enforce compliance and document violations.