Sudan Rejects US State Department Statement, Reaffirms Respect for National Sovereignty as Foundation for Any Peace Initiative

(SUNA) - In a statement issued today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation affirmed Sudan's rejection of the US State Department's statement regarding Sudan, declaring its adherence to national sovereignty. The statement asserted that any peace initiative intended to succeed and be sustainable must be based on respecting Sudan's sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and legitimate national institutions. Below is the text of the statement as provided by SUNA: Republic of Sudan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Spokesperson's Office and Media Department, Press Release. The rebellion of the Rapid Support Forces on April 15, 2023, marked a turning point in Sudan and the entire region. Most nations and governments of the world acknowledged the injustice inflicted upon Sudan, except for a few countries and entities that adopted a different narrative and sought to impose it on the ground. The Government of Sudan participated positively in the Jeddah negotiations, under the generous sponsorship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, which led to important understandings and commitments. Adherence to these could have contained the conflict in its early stages and spared the Sudanese people the humanitarian tragedies and destruction they have suffered. However, the rebel militia reneged on those commitments and continued its crimes and violations, in clear subordination to foreign agendas and interests. The Government of Sudan handled US efforts to end the war within the framework of the Quad with a constructive and responsible spirit, despite its declared and legitimate reservations regarding one of the parties, given its internationally documented role in fueling the conflict through arming, financing, and recruiting mercenaries. The Government of Sudan believes that any serious effort to achieve peace cannot ignore foreign interventions and sources of illicit support for the rebellion that contribute to prolonging the war. The Government of Sudan followed with interest and appreciation the statements by His Excellency President Donald Trump on November 19, 2025, in which he announced his administration's intent to engage in efforts to end the war in Sudan, in response to the generous initiative proposed by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This announcement bolstered the hopes of the Sudanese for a potential breakthrough that could lead to sustainable peace. The Government of Sudan continues to view with appreciation the interest President Trump has shown in ending wars, and what he reaffirmed in his address to the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly regarding the importance of taking action to end conflicts and not allowing them to escalate. At the same time, while the Government of Sudan strongly rejects the statement issued by the US State Department on September 22, 2026, it upholds its national sovereignty and calls on the US to engage positively with the Sudanese government, as stated in its previous communications which affirmed respect for Sudan and its national sovereignty. The Government of Sudan emphasizes that any peace initiative intended to succeed and be sustainable must start from respecting Sudan's sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and legitimate national institutions, and must address the root causes that led to the continuation of the war, most notably negative foreign intervention. Furthermore, any political or negotiation process must not turn into a means to legitimize a reality created by the rebel force, or reward the rebellion for its crimes against civilians, the state, and its legitimate institutions, nor should it equate the rebellion with them. The Sudanese people look forward to a just and lasting peace that ends the presence of militias outside the framework of the state, ensures the exclusivity of arms to legitimate state institutions, and creates conditions for a purely Sudanese political process that meets the aspirations of the Sudanese people for democracy, peace, and justice, and preserves the unity and sovereignty of the country. As the Government of Sudan confirms that peace remains its choice and strategic goal, it renews its readiness to engage positively and responsibly with the United States of America and all regional and international partners, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Russia, China, Turkey, Pakistan, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, IGAD, and the African members of the UN Security Council (A3), who work sincerely and impartially to stop the war and achieve peace and stability in Sudan, based on respect for its sovereignty, the will of its people, and its national institutions, far from dictates and foreign interventions. Issued on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.