AU visit to Sudan did not discuss lifting suspension, sources say
August 24, 2026 (ADDIS ABABA) — A visiting African Union delegation did not discuss lifting Sudan’s suspension from the continental bloc during recent closed-door talks with military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, AU sources told Sudan Tribune.
On 16 and 17 August, a delegation of the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), led by Algerian Ambassador Mohamed Khaled, visited the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where it met with senior Sudanese officials, including Chairman of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Transitional Prime Minister Kamil El-Tayeb Idris.
The talks focused instead on implementing resolutions from the latest AU summit amid the war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The AU suspended Sudan in October 2021 after the military seized power and ousted the civilian-led government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
The suspension was enacted under the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which requires automatic sanctions and suspension for any member state undergoing a coup or unconstitutional change of government.
Sources familiar with the visit said the mission aimed to address the ongoing conflict rather than review Sudan’s membership status.
In mid-February, the AU PSC called for the urgent reopening of its liaison office in Sudan to facilitate engagement with stakeholders at various levels and provide technical support to the country.
The council also reaffirmed plans to dispatch a field mission to engage key stakeholders and directed the AU Commission and human rights bodies to provide an updated fact-finding report on abuses across the country.
Sources in Addis Ababa said the PSC delegation did not delve into political negotiations with Burhan.
The delegation received proposals from Burhan and members of the government formed by the army chief in May 2025 to resume the political process, sources said. The Sudanese officials set one primary condition: an end to the RSF rebellion and the full withdrawal of RSF fighters from civilian infrastructure and public institutions.
The PSC delegation told Burhan and his officials that the current administration stems from an unconstitutional takeover in October 2021, according to the sources.
Delegation members emphasized that lifting the suspension depends on concrete steps toward restoring democratic rule and building national consensus.
Khartoum presented the delegation with a roadmap starting with a ceasefire, followed by an inclusive inter-Sudanese dialogue to prepare for a civilian government and general elections.
The AU delegation did not comment on the proposal but agreed to submit it, along with a comprehensive assessment, to the AU assembly of heads of state.