Negotiators urged to include on-ground monitoring in Sudan ceasefire talks

As Sudan enters its fourth year of conflict, the warring parties remain focused on military victory. A peace process led by the Quad, consisting of the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, is pressing the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to accept a ceasefire covering all combatants.

The aim is to stabilize the battlefield long enough to allow humanitarian aid to reach affected populations and to minimize direct civilian harm. The Atlantic Council stated that any agreement must include an independent, on-the-ground monitoring mechanism to rebuild trust between the parties.

Past monitoring model The article cited Sudan’s Joint Monitoring Mission of the Nuba Mountains Ceasefire Agreement, which ran from 2002 to 2005. That mission included about twenty international monitors, thirty-four Sudanese government and SPLA monitors, and 160 support staff.

Teams operated under a “three in a Jeep” model, with one international, one Sudanese military, and one rebel monitor. They verified troop numbers, investigated alleged violations, and helped resolve disputes while facilitating relief efforts.

Proposed framework Under the current proposal, parties would maintain their positions, disengage from active fighting, and adopt a defensive posture. They would also demilitarize agreed-upon cities, including El Fasher, to create humanitarian corridors.

The United States would chair an oversight body, with the United Nations in an advisory role. The Atlantic Council noted that a small monitoring mission could become operational quickly and would not require force protection units. The cost of such a mission would depend on its size and mandate.

The earlier Joint Monitoring Mission operated at roughly eighteen million dollars per year and was financed directly by countries supporting the peace process.