AU, Arab League, UN vow coordinated push for Sudan peace

May 18, 2025 (BAGHDAD) – The heads of the African Union Commission, the Arab League and the United Nations have pledged to unify their efforts for a stronger, more coordinated international response to end the conflict in Sudan and achieve a permanent ceasefire, according to a joint statement.

The high-level consultative meeting, held on the sidelines of the recent Arab League Summit in Baghdad, aimed to “stop the fighting and violence in Sudan, alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, ensure unhindered humanitarian access, and reach a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire,” according to a statement issued following the discussions.

The three organizations reaffirmed their “strong commitment to Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity,” and to preventing the collapse of the country’s national institutions. They said their efforts would build upon existing frameworks, including relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions, the Jeddah Declaration, and decisions by the African Union (AU) and Arab League.

While recalling a long history of joint efforts to resolve conflicts in Sudan, the leaders acknowledged “challenges faced in ensuring effective multilateral coordination and a clear division of labor,” which they noted had “impacted the level of trust among stakeholders and affected mediation efforts.”

To address this, the statement emphasized the need for a consistent vision and a new approach based on “complementarity and comparative advantages.” The organizations recognized the need to enhance multilateral coherence, including through a high-level agreement on forming a “broader caucus” of multilateral institutions to provide political support.

The leaders of the AU Commission, Arab League, and U.N. also agreed to use upcoming summits, including the U.N. General Assembly, to meet again to assess developments in Sudan and enhance the coherence of their actions.