UAE now calls for ceasefire at pledging conference on Sudan
High Level Humanitarian Conference for Sudan.
The United Arab Emirates is calling for a ceasefire on Sudan in an apparent push for a peaceful solution.
And Abu Dhabi on Friday pooled Sudan's stakeholders in the region including Ethiopia, the African Union and regional bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) for a High-Level Humanitarian Conference to pledge aid for the troubled country.
The event in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the sidelines of the ongoing African Union Summit brought together key regional and international actors to mobilise resources for Sudan and address the devastating humanitarian crisis caused by the ongoing war.
But for Abu Dhabi, this was also a show of change of strategy for a country previously accused of arming one of the warring factions, accusations it had vehemently denied.
On Friday, officials said they were calling for a 'Ramadhan ceasefire', to be timed with the upcoming Muslim Holy Month of Ramadhan, as well as allow genuine resumption of talks to end the war and stop suffering.
The conference in Addis Ababa was led by the UAE and co-organised by the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Ethiopia. But leaders including Antonio Gutteres, Secretary General of the UN, and President William Ruto of Kenya, also participated.
Sudan's junta was not represented and Malik Agar, the deputy head of the Sudan Sovereignty Council, had indicated the meeting was a violation of Sudanese sovereignty. Sudan remains suspended in taking part in activities of the African Union, following a coup that preceded the ongoing war.
Sudan had also suspended itself from IGaD, although officials had recently been taking part in the Horn of Africa bloc meetings.
The opening session featured remarks from several prominent leaders, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Kenyan President William Ruto, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan, AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki, IGAD Secretary-General Workneh Gebeyehu
Speakers at the conference highlighted the scale of the crisis in Sudan, describing it as one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world today.
Over half of Sudan’s population is facing food insecurity, with millions on the brink of famine, while the war has displaced more than 11 million people, collapsed the healthcare system, and led to the spread of preventable diseases.
The dire situation demands immediate and coordinated regional and global intervention, they stressed, emphasizing that it is time to end the war and ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in desperate need.
Among the participants was Dr Abdalla Hamdok, Chair of the Civil Democratic Alliance for the Forces of the Revolution (Somod), who delivered a strong call for international action to prioritise Sudan’s humanitarian crisis.
He urged the global community to enhance coordination efforts to secure essential aid, protect civilians, and work toward a peaceful resolution to the war that is now nearing its second year. Hamdok is a former Prime Minister whose transitional government was ousted by the Sovereignty Council in October 2021.
Here, Hamdok underscored that Sudan’s crisis is a man-made disaster, driven by a prolonged and senseless conflict. He warned that if the situation continues to deteriorate, Sudan risks further collapse and fragmentation, calling for a renewed commitment to peace efforts.
Speaking at the conference, Kenyan President William Ruto reaffirmed that military solutions will not bring lasting peace to Sudan and called on all Sudanese stakeholders to commit to a genuine and inclusive political dialogue.
President William Ruto.
Ethiopia pledged $15 million while the UAE said it will follow through to top up the $200 million worth of humanitarian assistance.
“Today, as we approach the holy month of Ramadan, the UAE, together with the Government of Ethiopia, the AU, and IGAD, convened nation states and international organisations in Addis Ababa to renew commitments to alleviate the suffering," said Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
“The UAE is steadfastly collaborating with regional, African and international partners to provide assistance by all available means."
President Ruto also announced that Kenya will honour its pledge of $1 million in humanitarian aid for Sudan, a commitment made during the Sudan Humanitarian Pledging Conference in Paris in April 2024. He emphasized that humanitarian aid must go hand in hand with diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
He also condemned obstructions to humanitarian access by warring factions, stressing that all parties must allow the free movement of humanitarian convoys, enable healthcare workers to operate, and permit the resumption of agricultural activities to improve food security.
Smoke rises from a building next to a damaged car on a street in Khartoum, Sudan.
Conference participants agreed on the urgent need to halt external interventions that fuel the war, urging all actors to respect Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
They emphasized that supporting political solutions, rather than military escalation, is the only way to bring stability and peace to the country.
The conference concluded with a unified call for an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access, and a renewed global commitment to supporting Sudan’s recovery.
Leaders stressed that ending the war is the only way to prevent further suffering and ensure a path toward lasting peace and stability for the Sudanese people.