Nairobi — The African Union has endorsed a peace initiative presented by Sudan’s transitional authorities to the United Nations Security Council, amid a protracted and devastating war between rival military generals whose power struggle has torn the country apart since 2023.
African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the proposal offers a credible and forward-looking pathway toward ending hostilities, easing humanitarian suffering and preserving Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The African Union attaches great importance to the political, humanitarian and security elements outlined in the proposal, viewing them as a credible foundation for sustainable peace,” Youssouf said.
“Constructive engagement with this initiative is indispensable to efforts aimed at ending armed conflict, restoring stability and safeguarding Sudan’s social cohesion and national unity.”
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Sudan’s conflict is rooted in a bitter rivalry between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The two generals were once allies, having jointly led the 2021 military coup that ousted Sudan’s long-serving ruler Omar al-Bashir fell out amid a dispute over security sector reforms, particularly plans to integrate the RSF into the national army, command structures and timelines for restoring civilian rule.
Falling out
Tensions boiled over on April 15, 2023, when fighting erupted in Khartoum and quickly spiralled into a nationwide conflict.
Since then, Sudan has descended into one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises.
Fierce urban warfare, airstrikes and artillery shelling have devastated Khartoum and other major cities, while the conflict has spread to Darfur, Kordofan and large swathes of the countryside.
Millions have been displaced internally or forced to flee to neighbouring countries as health systems collapse and food insecurity deepens.
The SAF, led by Burhan, has relied heavily on air power and control of state institutions, while the RSF has entrenched itself in residential areas, turning densely populated neighbourhoods into battlegrounds.
In Darfur, the RSF and allied militias have faced widespread allegations of atrocities against civilians, including ethnically targeted violence, heightening international alarm.
Against this backdrop, Sudan’s transitional authorities presented a peace initiative to the UN Security Council calling for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, protection of civilians, unhindered humanitarian access and a political process aimed at ending the war and rebuilding state institutions.
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Civilian protection
Youssouf said the AU strongly supports the initiative’s emphasis on a ceasefire, civilian protection, support for refugees and internally displaced persons, disarmament, security sector reform, national reconciliation and post-conflict reconstruction–describing these measures as essential to rebuilding trust and repairing Sudan’s fractured social fabric.
He stressed the need for an inclusive process anchored in transitional justice, accountability and redress for victims, warning that exclusion or impunity could risk renewed violence or national fragmentation.
Reiterating the AU’s long-standing position, Youssouf underscored the importance of a Sudanese-led dialogue during the transitional period to forge consensus on governance within a single constitutional framework, culminating in free, fair and internationally supervised elections.
The African Union also reaffirmed its readiness to work closely with the United Nations, the Arab League, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and international partners as pressure mounts for a coordinated response to end the war.
The AU said it remains firmly committed to Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to promoting peace and security across the region.
