Explainer: Sudan peace talks timeline marked by repeated failures and deadlock

With today’s Quartet summit to be held in Washington DC, involving Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, an initiative backed by former US President Joe Biden and the current Donald Trump administration aims to revive the stymied peace process, which has been stalled by a string of failed negotiations between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Despite numerous efforts since the war conflict began in April 2023, not a single ceasefire has held.

Efforts to halt the conflict began just days into the war, as Sudanese and international actors pushed for a three-day truce during Eid El Fitr in April 2023. Hopes were quickly dashed. RSF Commander Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo rejected talks, declaring, “Do not negotiate with a criminal,” in reference to SAF Commander-in-Chief Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan.

The army, meanwhile, insisted on full RSF surrender before any negotiations. A short humanitarian pause collapsed almost immediately amid accusations of violations from both sides.

The first round of Jeddah talks in May 2023, brokered by the US and Saudi Arabia, produced a “Declaration of Principles” and a seven-day ceasefire, briefly extended. Yet both parties violated the agreement. On 31 May, SAF suspended its participation, accusing the RSF of occupying hospitals and civilian areas. The RSF blamed SAF airstrikes. The talks were indefinitely suspended.

In late 2023, the US-Saudi initiative resumed, joined by IGAD and backed by the African Union. Despite discussions to open humanitarian channels and a tentative agreement for a leadership meeting, no ceasefire emerged. On 3 December, mediators suspended the talks again, citing continued hostilities and a failure to implement even basic confidence-building measures.

In February 2024, SAF Deputy Commander Shamseldin Kabbashi met Abdulrahim Dagalo, Hemedti’s brother, in Bahrain’s capital of Manama, alongside envoys from Egypt, the UAE, the US, and Saudi Arabia. The meeting produced no tangible outcome.

In July, a UN-led initiative in Geneva, facilitated by Envoy Ramtane Lamamra, sought indirect talks focused on humanitarian access. SAF refused to participate. Lt Gen Yasir El Atta declared, “Dialogue will begin only after [RSF] withdrawal from the cities,” even if the war lasted “a hundred years.”

British attempts to open humanitarian corridors also met resistance. In 2024, the British Foreign Office reportedly held secret talks with the RSF. The Sudanese government in Port Sudan condemned the move, accusing the UK of legitimising a militia. The effort was quietly shelved under political pressure. 

‘Why peace talks keep failing, and what could make them work’

Mediators and analysts say deep mistrust between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) lies at the heart of repeated ceasefire collapses. Disjointed mediation efforts, led variously by the US, Saudi Arabia, IGAD, and the African Union, have worked at cross-purposes, weakening international pressure.

Both sides continue to pursue military victory over negotiation, while truce violations go unpunished due to the absence of enforcement mechanisms.

Core political disputes remain unresolved, particularly the future integration of RSF fighters into the regular army. Foreign interference further undermines efforts to reach a neutral, lasting settlement.

However, experts agree on what could shift the tide. Real political will from both parties, a unified mediation platform, strong international oversight, and reduced outside interference are all key.

Crucially, any credible process must include Sudanese civil society and civilian political actors to forge a sustainable path to peace.

Timeline of Major Negotiation Efforts (2023–2025)