Diplomatic engagement between the United States and Saudi Arabia has accelerated in a bid to secure a humanitarian truce in Sudan, envisioned as a precursor to a broader ceasefire between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. On 7 January 2026, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Waleed Al-Khereiji, met Sudanese army chief and Sovereignty Council chair Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Port Sudan, while parallel high-level consultations unfolded in Washington and Riyadh.
Sudan’s Sovereignty Council said Burhan welcomed the Saudi-US peace initiative, praising Riyadh’s leadership and expressing appreciation to US President Donald Trump for renewed engagement on Sudan. Discussions also covered preparations for a bilateral Strategic Coordination Council.
In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was reported to be meeting his Saudi counterpart following talks in Riyadh between senior Saudi officials and Massad Boulos, the US President’s senior adviser for Arab and African affairs. Those discussions focused on achieving a humanitarian truce to facilitate aid delivery and ease civilian suffering.
The push builds on earlier Saudi-American efforts, including a September proposal by a regional “Quartet” for a humanitarian pause leading to a civilian transition—an initiative previously rejected by Sudan’s military leadership. Momentum has since gathered following Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s November appeal in Washington for renewed US leadership to help end the conflict.
