After the Zurich meeting, Port Sudan and Washington are on the cusp of a new phase
17 August, 2025
Port Sudan (Sudanow)-
With the Quartet meeting postponed late last month and the Jeddah Initiative at a standstill, an unprecedented move has taken place since the outbreak of the war in Sudan. The head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the commander-in-chief of the Sudanese army, met with Massad Boulos, senior advisor to the US president for Arab, Middle Eastern and African affairs, in Zurich, Switzerland, under tightly guarded Qatari mediation and in an atmosphere of extreme secrecy. The meeting, which took place on the shore of Lake Zurich, carried with it political, security and diplomatic messages that may reshape the course of American engagement with the Sudanese crisis, despite the caveats left by experiences, and open a window of hope to stop the bleeding of the war and restore the pace of state building and head towards the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.
Open sources reveal the hidden truth:
It is worth noting that researchers Rich Tidd and Dee Payne, specialists in tracking flight routes and intelligence affairs in Africa through open sources, revealed a private flight of a Qatari Airbus ACJ-319 aircraft, registration number A7-MHH, belonging to the Qatari Amiri Flight. The plane departed from Zurich Airport in Switzerland and landed at Port Sudan International Airport on Monday (the 11th of this month), then immediately returned to Switzerland. Sources indicated that this aircraft is regularly used for the trips of General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. At the same time, internal and external sources confirmed that the meeting was held at a resort on the shores of Lake Zurich and discussed U.S. efforts to end the war in Sudan.
Possible post-meeting scenarios: -
Ambassador Dr. Moawiya Bukhari predicted that the United States would launch a new political process, while strengthening the army’s position against the terrorist Al-Daglo militias and completing the path of liberation. He did not rule out that this step might be preceded by security arrangements between the Sudanese government and the U.S. government before any settlement , concerning the security of the Red Sea and counterterrorism prior to reaching any comprehensive political agreement.
The Sudanese relations expert pointed out that such a step would inevitably provoke a strong regional counter-reaction, especially from the ruling regime in the United Arab Emirates, which would seek to thwart any course that weakens its influence in Sudan, let alone one that removes it and its allies from the scene.
He also did not rule out that the momentum of efforts already underway within the United States and other countries to designate the militia as a terrorist entity could accelerate , particularly in light of the ongoing siege of El Fasher, the escalation of attacks on civilians, and the continued use of starvation tactics by the terrorist militias.
Outcomes of the Lake Zurich Meeting:-
Ambassador Moawiya Bukhari explained that, although the meeting was requested by Washington and surrounded by strict secrecy, it signaled the U.S. administration’s desire to change the approach it had followed in the previous phase. He added that the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council entered the meeting backed by the army, growing popular support, and battlefield victories. Therefore, he rejected any role for the Rapid Support Forces militia in the country’s future, stressing the need to dismantle it and prosecute its leaders.
Ambassador Dr. Moawiya Bukhari further stated that the issues of Red Sea security and counterterrorism in the region are pressure cards the Sudanese government can leverage. He also said that the Qatari Amiri aircraft that transported General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan to and from Port Sudan was not merely a means of transportation but a strong indication of renewed political and diplomatic support from Qatar.
However, the expert in the corridors of international politics warned that the meeting will open the door wide to intensified regional competition to influence the course of war and peace in Sudan, at a level of ferocity greater than ever before.
Musaad’s tweet reveals the essence of the meeting:-
Mossad Paulos, Senior Advisor to the U.S. President for Arab, Middle Eastern, and African Affairs, stated in a post on his X account after the meeting with the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council that Washington seeks to build a direct relationship with Sudan, emphasizing the importance of a democratic civilian transition but with practical conditions that exclude any parties facing international criminal charges.
Paulos also noted that security in the Red Sea and counterterrorism are U.S. priorities. He further expressed Washington’s growing and clear concern about the security of regional maritime routes and developments in and around the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
In concluding his analysis for Sudnow magazine on the circumstances of the Zurich meeting, Ambassador Moawiya Bukhari stated, “The meeting was not a routine, ceremonial encounter, but a significant step in bilateral relations that could pave the way for important shifts in the U.S. position on the war in Sudan and its broader context.”
He added that the outcome of this meeting will largely depend on the dynamics of U.S. domestic politics, influential lobbying groups, and the positions of regional powers intervening in Sudanese affairs.
Dr. Moawiya Bukhari stressed that the official Sudanese side must make good use of this opening and firmly maintain the positions it strongly expressed regarding any upcoming settlement. This step, he noted, could mark the beginning of a new trajectory to reorganize the elements of the crisis both domestically and regionally, particularly with neighboring states aligned with the militia.
He further highlighted that, amid significant changes in U.S. leadership and institutions, the meeting could open a window of hope to stop the bloodshed, resume state-building efforts, and move toward a phase of rehabilitation and reconstruction.
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