Updated: 8 December 2025 08:08:37
US Diplomat: Sudan’s Solution Is Not Military and Must Be Built on Civil Solidarity
Moatinoon
The Financial Times has published an article by former US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, in which he examines the war in Sudan.
The writer notes that, nearly three years into the conflict, major powers — through the “Quad,” which includes the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — have launched a new diplomatic initiative based on the recognition that neither the national army nor the armed group can achieve a military victory or establish effective, stable governance in the country.
Feltman points out that despite its long history, the Sudanese army has for decades failed to defeat armed groups far weaker than the Rapid Support Forces. Today, its survival depends on extremist militias and foreign backing. He adds that both sides stand accused of committing atrocities, making any political role for them unacceptable and opening the door to accountability in the event of a political transition.
Amid this chaos, the writer proposes an alternative that emerges from popular forces: networks of social solidarity and volunteer groups — the “Emergency Rooms” — which grew out of the Resistance Committees since the 2019 revolution. Since the outbreak of war in 2023, these groups have expanded to include around 26,000 volunteers, providing essential, life-saving services under democratically governed, locally accountable structures with no political or military alignment.
The article emphasizes that these groups — not armed factions or military governments — should be considered the most legitimate option for Sudan’s future. It argues that they deserve to be prioritized in humanitarian funding, rather than the traditional and often ineffective aid mechanisms. While international diplomacy attempts to bring an end to the war, these grassroots initiatives are rebuilding Sudan from the bottom up and demonstrating the path toward a unified, civilian, democratic, and stable state.
The article concludes that as states search for a political settlement, there already exists a Sudanese answer — from the people themselves — pointing toward a better future founded on civil solidarity, justice, and genuine participation.
