NEW YORK – The United States, European Union, African Union, France, Germany and the United Kingdom called on Sudan’s warring parties to resume negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire, while stressing that the country’s future system of government should be determined by Sudanese people through an inclusive and transparent political process.
The position was outlined in a joint statement issued in New York on Sept. 21, 2026, following a ministerial meeting aimed at coordinating the international response to Sudan’s humanitarian crisis and supporting efforts by the Quintet to facilitate an inclusive Sudanese civilian dialogue.
The meeting followed previous Sudan conferences held in Paris in 2024, London in 2025 and Berlin in April 2026, as the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued into its fourth year.
The statement said more than two-thirds of Sudan’s population, about 33 million people, require humanitarian assistance, while around 20 million people face acute food insecurity.
The participants warned that continued fighting threatens Sudan’s future and wider regional stability.
They urged the SAF and RSF to resume negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire, particularly on the basis of proposals advanced by the Quad, and said they were prepared to take further steps to support the conclusion and implementation of an agreement.
The statement said a ceasefire alone would not resolve Sudan’s crisis and called for a broader political settlement addressing long-standing disputes over relations between the center and the regions, the distribution of powers, governance and constitutional arrangements, as well as fiscal arrangements within a federal system.
The participants also reaffirmed support for the Quintet, which includes the United States, African Union, European Union, United Nations and IGAD within the framework used for Sudan dialogue efforts.
They also backed the U.N. Secretary-General’s personal envoy in efforts to revive political dialogue.
The statement said Sudan’s future government should be determined through an inclusive, credible and transparent Sudanese-Sudanese political process representing diverse voices inside the country and abroad.
It added that the political process should not be obstructed by armed actors or external parties.
The position comes after consultations by the Quintet in Berlin, Addis Ababa and Khartoum aimed at facilitating a Sudanese civilian dialogue focused on ending the war and laying the foundations for a peaceful political transition.
The participants expressed serious concern over findings by the international fact-finding mission on Sudan regarding external support that has strengthened the military capabilities of parties to the conflict.
They condemned military involvement by foreign state and non-state actors and called on them to stop fueling the war, particularly through the provision of military equipment and financial support.
The statement also called for stronger U.N. measures to prevent weapons from reaching parties to the conflict and for enhanced monitoring by the U.N. Panel of Experts of arms flows and external support.
Violations and Accountability
The participants condemned violations of international humanitarian and human rights law committed during the war, including killings of civilians, attacks on civilian populations and infrastructure, ethnically motivated killings, indiscriminate aerial bombardment and drone strikes.
They also cited attacks on humanitarian convoys, starvation as a method of warfare, sexual and gender-based violence and violations against children.
The statement expressed concern over reports of atrocities attributed to the RSF, including acts that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, while also citing serious violations attributed to the SAF.
The participants called for stronger accountability and sanctions measures across Sudan and urged both sides to respect commitments under the Jeddah Declaration and protect civilians, civilian infrastructure, essential services and humanitarian workers.
Humanitarian Access
The statement condemned the arbitrary detention of humanitarian personnel and called on all parties to ensure rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access throughout Sudan.
It said aid should be allowed to move both across front lines and across borders without undue bureaucratic restrictions.
The participants also called for humanitarian organizations to be allowed an operational presence across the country in accordance with international law and relevant U.N. resolutions.
The appeal comes as humanitarian operations face severe funding shortages and access constraints while the war continues to displace civilians and damage essential services.
Rejection of Parallel Governing Structures
The participants reaffirmed their commitment to Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and strongly rejected the establishment of parallel governing structures.
They also rejected actions they said could undermine the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people.
The statement reaffirmed support for humanitarian assistance to civilians inside Sudan and refugees in neighboring countries and praised refugee-hosting states, local communities and humanitarian workers, including local responders.
It called on the international community to increase humanitarian financing and rapidly implement pledges made at the Sudan Conference in Berlin to ease civilian suffering.
