US and Saudi Arabia Renew Push for Sudan Peace Talks

In a joint diplomatic move, the United States and Saudi Arabia have urged Sudan’s warring factions to return to the negotiating table and end a devastating conflict that has plunged the country into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

On Wednesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington to reinforce their shared stance on Sudan. The two diplomats issued a call for the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to resume peace talks, ensure civilian protection, allow humanitarian aid, and work toward restoring civilian governance.

Their appeal followed reports from the Sudanese army claiming full control of Khartoum after enduring months of attacks by the RSF, which has been engaged in armed conflict with government forces since April 2023. The war has displaced over 12 million people, caused tens of thousands of deaths, and led the UN to declare famine in parts of the country.

Despite previous failed mediation attempts by both the Biden administration and Saudi authorities, the renewed engagement signals a continued commitment to ending the violence.

The meeting also served as a preparatory step for an upcoming visit to Riyadh by US President Donald Trump, potentially his first international trip of a second term. A Saudi government source confirmed the visit, noting that discussions would likely extend to the situations in Gaza, Yemen, and Syria.

During their talks, Rubio and Prince Faisal also addressed the conflict in Gaza, emphasizing efforts to secure hostage releases and achieve a lasting ceasefire. They reaffirmed that Hamas must be fully disarmed once the fighting ends.

Economic cooperation was also highlighted, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledging $600 billion in US trade and investments. Trump previously stated that Saudi Arabia was prepared to invest close to $1 trillion in American industries, creating jobs and strengthening bilateral ties.

Trump’s earlier term saw close relations with Riyadh, including protection of the Crown Prince after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The renewed alignment could also lead to a push for normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, a key foreign policy goal for Trump.