Options for U.S Involvement in The Sudanese Conflict:
By: Ali Noureldin Abdulrahman
The U.S policy towards Sudan should counter the influence of external actors that have chosen a side to back militarily:
This idea is shared by many U.S analysts who are calling for the U.S to step up its engagement in Sudan’s conflict , among them is William Brundagae, an associate analyst at the Newlines Institute.
In a recent article on the Interpreter website, Brundage called for the expansion of communication with external actors in the conflict , saying the U.S must continue its diplomatic outreach to these actors.
The writer argued that the U.S inaction on the war in Sudan has created two major risks with far-reaching effects: the loss of a potential strategic foothold in the Red Sea region and the risk of a spillover from the conflict and beyond.
These risks have direct impacts on American interests in the region, the rest of Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
He said Sudan’s geographical location could provide immense strategic value to the United States, but U.S inattention to the conflict left a vacuum that others can exploit, most notably, Russia and China.
The conflict has been the subject of public statements from the U.S State Department and Congressional leaders. For instance, in last January , then Secretary of State Antony Blinken determined that the RSF was committing genocide in Western Sudan.
While these statements underscore concern about the conflict among high-ranking officials, the United States has only taken minor steps to mitigate the crisis.
Brundage say the risk of a spillover of the conflict presents another motivation for U.S involvement. He said the United States has not appointed a special envoy to Sudan since Tom Perriello resigned before president Trump took office, adding that a special envoy offers the United States an opportunity to take the first real step in intervention by having an official representative of the government focused on the conflict.
Brundage emphasised that the UAE has been a major factor in the continuation of the conflict by supporting the RSF.
He went further to say that the United States can apply diplomatic and public pressure against the UAE for its support of the RSF.
He added that the UAE’s military and financial support to the RSF has been at the core of the RSF’s operational capabilities, which it has used to commit atrocities.
Additionally, several members of the Congress have voiced concern about the UAE’s support to the RSF.
The author suggested that the U.S government can publicly threaten to withhold arms sales to the UAE. This gives the U.S leverage to deter the UAE from its support.
He added that the United States can also call public attention to the role of the UAE in the conflict through public statements by the State Department or Congressional resolutions condemning its actions.
Brundage concluded by stating that these steps represent an effective strategy for deterring UAE’s support to the RSF that also had Congressional support.