UNSC Holds Informal Interactive Dialogue on Sudan

New York – Sudanhorizon

Members of the United Nations Security Council are holding an Informal Interactive Dialogue (IID) on the situation in Sudan today (Monday), under the title, “From Principles to Practice: Translating International Mediation Commitments into a Coherent, Civilian-Led Path to Peace.”
The meeting is being organized at the initiative of Denmark and the United Kingdom, which serves as the penholder for resolutions and statements concerning Sudan. The meeting is expected to feature briefings from the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto; Chair of the African Union High-Level Panel on Sudan, Mohamed Ibn Chambas; European Union Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Annette Weber; Director of the Arab League’s Department of the Horn of Africa and Sudan, Zaid Al-Sabban; and Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Workneh Gebeyehu.
According to the UN Security Council website, the meeting follows the Informal Interactive Dialogue held on December 16, 2025, which was also organized by Denmark and the United Kingdom. It aims to strengthen coordination among regional and international actors, facilitate direct communication between mediators, and explore concrete steps the Council could take to support ongoing peace initiatives in a coordinated manner.
The website noted that since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan on April 15, 2023, multiple regional and international actors have sought to launch diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the fighting and advancing a political process, although these efforts have yet to achieve a tangible breakthrough. The multiplicity of mediation initiatives has also highlighted the importance of strengthening coordination and coherence among the various stakeholders. More recently, the “Quintet” – comprising the African Union, European Union, IGAD, Arab League, and United Nations – has intensified its efforts to advance dialogue toward a political process ultimately leading to a transition to a civilian-led democratic government.
A concept note circulated by the co-organizers indicates that the Informal Interactive Dialogue will provide a platform for exchanging views among key mediators, regional actors, and Council members. The meeting aims to review recent diplomatic efforts and discuss ways to translate shared commitments into practical next steps.
The meeting will also discuss ways for the Council to support the role of the “Quintet” as a bridge connecting the various stakeholders, including through confidence-building measures; how to address external interventions, arms flows, and proxy conflict dynamics, including through existing mechanisms such as the Security Council’s arms embargo on Darfur; and what additional measures the Council could take to effectively support the political process in the short and medium terms, including by increasing the frequency of reporting.
Reports indicated that the concept note identifies external interventions as a major obstacle to efforts to promote peace in Sudan. The note states that support provided by external actors – driven by strategic interests that may not align with reaching a negotiated settlement – has enabled the warring parties to continue pursuing their military objectives.
The note argues that moving forward with a meaningful political process “would be difficult unless these enabling external factors are addressed, including through enforcement and accountability measures.”
The meeting comes amid reports that numerous external actors have supplied weapons to the warring parties and facilitated the flow of mercenaries. As violence has spread across the country, several member states and civil society organizations have called for expanding the geographical scope of the sanctions regime imposed on Sudan under Resolution 1591 to cover the entire country rather than being limited to Darfur. The sanctions regime has remained geographically restricted to Darfur since its establishment in 2005.
The issue has been raised repeatedly in the Council in recent years, most recently during ongoing discussions on renewing sanctions measures against Sudan. After weeks of difficult negotiations, Council members failed to agree on a U.S.-drafted resolution, with the United States serving as the penholder on the Sudan sanctions file, that would have expanded the arms embargo to cover the entire country.
As a result, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2828 on September 11, extending the measures for one month – until October 9 – to allow additional time for negotiations.
The speakers are expected to review their recent engagements and activities aimed at identifying ways to de-escalate the conflict, facilitate humanitarian access, advance an inclusive political dialogue, and achieve a lasting ceasefire.

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