U.S. peace council sets March deadline to end Sudan war

February 2, 2026 (WASHINGTON) – U.S. diplomats are pushing a new initiative within the Board of Peace to end the conflict in Sudan, aiming for a permanent ceasefire before the end of March, officials told Sudan Tribune.

The move follows the January 15 establishment of the Board of Peace (BoP), a permanent international body intended to bypass traditional United Nations roles in conflict zones. The BoP is an American-led organization designed to oversee and implement peacekeeping operations globally.

Diplomats familiar with the matter said the Sudan strategy aims to secure a decisive end to the fighting while addressing long-standing issues of military and security reform. A central condition of the proposal is the exclusion of extremist elements, specifically Islamist groups, from both the military and political sectors.

The plan has the backing of key regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with his counterparts in those countries last week to coordinate the diplomatic push.

The proposed roadmap includes an immediate humanitarian truce, which officials expect to take effect following an upcoming international humanitarian conference.

Diplomatic activity has intensified in recent days. Rubio spoke by phone on Friday with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the crisis, while U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in Cairo last week to focus on Sudan and the Horn of Africa.

These meetings follow January discussions in Riyadh between Saudi and U.S. officials, including Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, aimed at facilitating aid delivery and stabilizing a truce.

In a related development, Sudanese intelligence chief Ahmed Mufaddal recently held meetings in Washington to discuss regional interference in the war and the presence of extremist groups in the region.