Explosive international events are reshaping priorities… Is Sudan out of the spotlight?
Isma’il Kushkush, a journalist who specialises in covering political and international affairs )Photo: Supplied)
“The events in El Fasher in late October brought the world’s attention back to what is happening in Sudan, but this attention did not last long. Interest in Sudan peaked at the end of last year but quickly declined at the beginning of this year. This decline is likely to continue unless Sudan experiences a major development or a radical shift in the balance of power or the course of the war.”
In an interview with Radio Dabanga’s ‘Plain Speaking’ programme, Isma’il Kushkush*, a journalist specialising in political and international affairs asserts:
– The Quartet countries are preoccupied with major events in Syria, Yemen, Iran, and Venezuela, and their priorities are primarily governed by their own self-interest.
– One of the structural problems in media coverage of Sudan is that it is often covered from regional bureaus.
– Conveying the suffering and human stories is the true gateway to any serious international action that can contribute to accelerating the path to peace.
– The goal is to move the Sudanese issue from the realm of “news” to analysis, by highlighting the regional and international impact of the war.
Amid the rapid pace of developments and major events unfolding in the region and the world, from Venezuela to Syria, Yemen, and Iran, and including the war in Gaza and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a multitude of issues are crowding the foreign policy agendas of major powers such as the United States, the European Union, and Russia. This reality is directly reflected in the agendas of decision-makers and international media outlets, where priorities are being rearranged according to the momentum of events and their immediate impact.
Sudan returned to the media and international spotlight in the last quarter of last year after the El Fasher atrocities, after having been forgotten since the start of the war on April 15, 2023. However, this surge quickly subsided with the beginning of the new year 2026, with the explosion of other events in the world, most notably Venezuela, Syria, Yemen, and Iran, which caused the small window of coverage that appeared on the horizon to begin to fade away, and the Quartet countries that made peace in Sudan a goal became preoccupied.
Within this context, Radio Dabanga conducted this interview with Sudanese journalist Isma’il Kushkush, who specialises in covering political and international affairs, has contributed to The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Smithsonian, Granta, and other publications. He was based in Khartoum for eight years and was an acting bureau chief for The New York Times in East Africa from Nairobi. In the edition of ‘Plain Speaking’, Radio Dabanga asks Kushkush about the impact of these developments on the presence of the Sudan issue politically and in the media, and on the chances of stopping the war and achieving peace, and whether it is possible this year, 2026, according to these changes.
‘When war came to Sudan’s capital, I was trapped in my apartment complex with neighbours I hardly knew. Suddenly we were all we had…’ – excerpt from Leaving Khartoum by Isma’il Kushkush, December 30, 2025.
International interest in Sudan has declined
Regarding the impact of major international events on attention to Sudan, Kushkush explained that the foreign policies of major powers, such as the United States, the European Union, and Russia, are typically preoccupied with the most recent events that have the greatest impact on their interests. This is reflected in the work of foreign ministries and media institutions, where focus on protracted crises like Sudan diminishes when new crises erupt in other regions.
Regarding the events that temporarily brought Sudan back into the spotlight, Kushkush said in an interview with Radio Dabanga that the events in El Fasher in late October brought the world’s attention back to what was happening in Sudan, but this attention lasted only two or three weeks, before it faded again with the emergence of other international events.
Kushkush considered that the outbreak of crises in Venezuela, Syria, Yemen, and Iran at the beginning of the new year changed the compass of international attention politically and in the media, and brought Sudan back to the margins, in light of the great crowding on the news agenda and international files.
Regarding the Sudanese war entering its fourth year next April, Kushkush pointed out that the long duration of the war, without a radical change in the balance of power, makes it less attractive to international media, which operates according to the logic of the event, momentum and audience, and not according to the size of the human tragedy alone.
Sudan among regional offices
He added to Radio Dabanga that one of the structural problems in media coverage of Sudan is that it is often covered from regional offices, either from Cairo within the Middle East and North Africa coverage, or from Nairobi within East Africa.
According to Kushkush, interest in Sudan peaked at the end of last year but quickly declined at the beginning of this year due to the escalation of other international crises. This decline is likely to continue unless Sudan experiences a significant development or a radical shift in the balance of power or the course of the war.
The priorities of the Quartet… Where does Sudan stand?
Regarding the positions of the four countries, such as the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, Kushkush said in an interview with Radio Dabanga that these countries are preoccupied with major events in Syria, Yemen, and Iran, and that their priorities are governed primarily by their own interests.
He added that Sudan is viewed as a “card” among many cards in the region, and that these countries assess its position among their priorities, whether first, second or third.
He affirmed his belief that Sudan may fall to second or third place in the priorities of these countries and will not become a first priority unless the situation inside it changes radically.
Kushkush said that one of the factors that weakens the chances of Sudan returning to the forefront of international attention in the coming period is the preoccupation of major countries with internal issues, most notably the US elections scheduled for November.
He explained that domestic priorities affect foreign policy, which is to be expected, and will only change if radical and major developments occur in Sudan that force it back onto the international agenda.
He warned that this reality would affect peace efforts, as initiatives and political pressure might slow down, although Sudan would remain present in international discussions, but without sufficient momentum.
Media and journalism… a role yet to be completed
Kushkush stressed that what is required of civil and political forces, as well as journalists, is to highlight the gravity of what is happening in Sudan. He said that the media and press in general have covered very little of what is actually happening in Sudan over the past three years.
He pointed out that what is happening in Sudan represents a major humanitarian disaster, in which tens of thousands have been killed and millions have been affected, but the lack of direct impact on the interests of major powers has limited media and press coverage.
was found on the side of a road in a remote area, searching for safety: Social Media
Moving from the ‘news’ section to the ‘analysis’ section
He stressed to Radio Dabanga that what is required now is to move the Sudanese issue from the category of ‘news’ to ‘analysis’, by highlighting the impact of the war regionally and internationally, especially in light of Sudan’s geographical location overlooking the Red Sea and its connection to the African Sahel region.
He stressed that a great responsibility rests on the shoulders of the Sudanese press, calling for a focus on human, social, economic, and cultural stories throughout Sudan, and not just covering political conflicts and leaders.
Conveying human suffering
Kushkush concludes by saying that he does not expect a strong return of international interest in Sudan in light of current international developments. He also addressed a message to the Sudanese people about the need to involve the world in their story, considering that conveying human suffering is the real entry point for any serious international action that can contribute to accelerating the peace process.
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