Rome — Sudan Now
Marco Rubio, The U.S Secretary of state said Sudan has become “to some extent, a proxy battleground for several countries,” noting that some states are backing parties involved in the Sudanese conflict, while others have allowed their territories to be used for arms shipments into Sudan.
Rubio made the remarks during a press conference in Rome following meetings he held at the Vatican, where he addressed developments in several international issues, including Sudan.
Rubio said Washington is “deeply engaged” through what he described as the “Quad Committee” track, adding that Sudan has become an arena for regional and international competition due to foreign interference and external support for some of the warring parties.
He added, “There are countries that are not directly involved, but have allowed their territories to be used as channels for arms shipments,” without directly naming those countries.
The U.S. Secretary of State also noted that the United States is currently focused on pushing for a “humanitarian ceasefire” to allow aid to reach those affected by the war, while stressing that such a truce “should not be the final outcome.”
He explained that Washington is seeking to establish safe corridors and secure zones for the distribution of humanitarian assistance, describing the situation in Sudan as “one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.”
Rubio stressed that ending the war requires pressure from countries and parties backing the warring factions to push them toward a peace agreement that would end the conflict, noting that the United States is monitoring the Sudan file “on a daily basis” through its office responsible for African affairs, in addition to U.S. Special Envoy Massad Boulos.
He also noted that the U.S. administration recently supported what he described as a “positive declaration” regarding a statement of principles related to Sudan, but said the priority now is to translate those principles into concrete steps on the ground.
Rubio’s remarks come at a time of growing mutual accusations over external support for parties involved in the war in Sudan, amid international and UN reports referring to the use of regional routes to transfer weapons and funding to the warring factions.
The conflict, ongoing since April 2023, has seen increasing regional escalation, raising concerns over the spillover of its repercussions into neighboring countries and the Horn of Africa region.
