Sudan PM demands UN action from ‘existential dangers’

Sudan’s Prime Minister Kamil El Tayeb Idris addressed the 80th session of the UN General Assembly yesterday to warn that his country faces “existential dangers” from war, genocide, and foreign mercenaries. “Sudan has bled,” he declared. “Our villages and cities have fallen silent under the shadow of unprecedented war, unprecedented invasion,” while accusing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of mass displacement, plunder, and demographic engineering.

Idris urged the UN to classify the RSF as a terror group and halt arms flows fuelling their campaign. He criticised the Security Council’s inaction, asking: “Imagine: it was adopted a year ago, and nothing has happened. Is this plausible?” 

In his speech, he vowed that Sudan would “remove the remnants of war,” return to Khartoum, and press ahead with a technocratic civilian government, while insisting: “Without peace, there is no viable future. We will never give up.”

On the sidelines, Idris held a flurry of meetings at Sudan’s UN mission with senior UN humanitarian chiefs, and leaders from Egypt, Eritrea and Djibouti.

Talks with the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, the UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF and the European Union (EU) focused on aid access and a Sudanese-led political process. EU Representative for the Horn of Africa, Annette Weber pledged continued support for intra-Sudanese dialogue and civilian protection.

Global calls for Sudan

World leaders also put Sudan high on the agenda during the UNGA debate. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all Sudanese parties, “including those inside this hall,” to negotiate peace. 

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani called for inclusive dialogue, while French President Emmanuel Macron pressed for greater international effort to stem the humanitarian disaster.

Kenya’s President William Ruto expressed deep concern over Sudan’s worsening crisis: “Civilians are caught in the crossfire of a needless war,” he told the Assembly, stressing that “there can be no military solution, and only political dialogue offers a viable path forward.” He called on all sides, including the RSF and external actors, to respect Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Kenya reaffirms its unwavering support for a unified Sudan for the benefit of all its people,” he added.

Quartet

On Thursday, a ministerial meeting co-hosted by the EU, AU, France, Germany and the UK endorsed the Quartet’s roadmap for Sudan, a plan put forward by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the United States.

The roadmap outlines a three-month humanitarian truce in North Darfur’s capital of El Fasher, followed by a ceasefire and a nine-month political process leading to civilian transition. The ministers also issued a firm rejection of any parallel governance structures, underlining that Sudan’s sovereignty and unity must be preserved.

The joint statement, backed by over 25 states and organisations, demanded compliance with UN Security Council resolutions, including on El Fasher, and condemned foreign meddling and arms supplies to the warring parties.

It urged direct negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire, stronger civilian protection, and accountability for atrocities, while pledging continued diplomatic and financial support for the humanitarian response.