By: Nihad Mustafa
In a development that reflects the depth of the Sudanese crisis, a planned summit between the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, which was set to take place at the end of the month, has been canceled. The summit was intended to discuss ways to end the escalating war in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to informed diplomatic sources, the cancellation of the meeting came as a result of Egypt’s firm rejection of the U.S. efforts, which called for the launch of a political transition phase that would exclude the direct parties to the conflict – the army and the RSF – in an attempt to craft a settlement led by neutral civilian figures under international sponsorship.
However, Egypt, which maintains close ties with the ruling military institution in Sudan, opposed the proposal, considering it an indirect targeting of its military allies in Sudan. According to observers, Egypt’s stance reflects a strategic direction aimed at preserving the current military regime, as it is seen as the sole guarantor of Cairo’s security and economic interests.
This Egyptian rejection, despite Saudi and Emirati approval to discuss and agree on the matter, effectively derailed the efforts of the international quartet and hindered what was seen as an important attempt to build consensus among the four countries regarding a resolution to the conflict.
By sticking to the military option in Sudan, Egypt weakens the chances for international consensus-driven solutions and obstructs efforts to create a comprehensive peaceful transition model. The crisis also highlights the West’s failure to provide a unified vision for post-coup transitions and raises the question of the effectiveness of its contradictory interventions in the continent’s affairs.
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