Sudanese writer and political researcher Mohamed Torchin said that the initiative announced by the Sudanese government was "stillborn" because it was based on considering the Rapid Support Forces as rebel after a military coup attempt, and that there could be no two armies in the country, which he is not expected to accept from the RSF.

While acknowledging that there is a difference in tone between what was put forward by Malik Agar, Vice President of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, and the speech of the President of the Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, which preceded him a day, he believes that the two speeches are consistent, and included parts related to the need for some settlement to end the war.

This came during the episode devoted by the program "Beyond the News" on (2023/8/16) to the initiative presented by the Sudanese government to resolve the country's crisis, through a roadmap presented by "Aqar", which provides for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the launch of a dialogue that establishes a transitional period, following a speech by Al-Burhan, in which he accused the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces and promised them decisiveness.

In return for the call of the "property" of the Rapid Support Forces, to realize the impossibility of the presence of two armies in the country, where the situation threatens to expand the circle of fighting, the forces announced their refusal to comment on the initiative, announcing their adherence to the Jeddah platform to negotiate with the army.

The seminar questioned the significance of the timing and terms of the initiative, what it means to offer a transitional path, whether it is an alternative to the framework agreement, the extent to which it intersects with the African IGAD and Jeddah initiatives to resolve the Sudanese crisis, its chances of success, and how the position of rapid support towards it is understood.

Consistency despite difference

Speaking beyond the news, Torchin considered that one aspect of the consistency of the Burhan and Aqar speeches is to talk directly about the Rapid Support Forces committing atrocities against civilians, with a less severe tone in Aqar's speech, and that Burhan's speech carried new signals to the RSF leaders.

The Sudanese political analyst believes that the dimation of military operations in Khartoum reflects the serious desire of the military institution to reach a solution, in light of the fear of the expansion of the conflict and the complete collapse of the state, which may be available to the Rapid Support Forces as well, but the dispute over the names of what happened prevents the existence of a space of consensus between the two parties.

He believes that the implementation of this initiative on the ground represents a major challenge, in light of the lack of consensus on the description of current events, and the adherence of each party to its perceptions, stressing the existence of different decision-making centers in state agencies as a result of the contradictions between visions and positions and because of the form of the transitional government that existed before the recent events.

There are groups within the military that reject Aqar's quiet rhetoric and believe that it has given the RSF more than it deserves, he said, while stressing that Burhan is fully satisfied with the initiative and seeks a settlement at the earliest opportunity.

American Welcome

Dr. William Lawrence, a professor of international relations at the American University and a former official in the US State Department for North African affairs, believes that Burhan's speech came in a sharp and severe tone, as he is a military man and not a politician, stressing that his country welcomes the initiative announced by Aqar.

Speaking behind the news, he explained that although his country's Foreign Ministry did not comment on the initiative, he knew directly that the ministry considers the initiative a good technical step, while stressing the need for both parties to respect the agreements of the Jeddah negotiating process.

Lawrence believes that Burhan usually sends unclear signals in his speeches, which led him to agree with Torchin that his speech could be consistent with the subsequent declaration of real estate for the initiative, stressing the need for the Sudanese government to be more explicit in expressing its position.

The professor of international relations at the American University pointed out that the various initiatives and tracks that sought to achieve peace in Sudan were seeking one goal related to an immediate ceasefire, but the issue depends on "who and how" through which arrangements are made to achieve this goal.

He believes that one of the main obstacles to this that has not been addressed so far is the insistence of both parties to erase the leadership of the other side, stressing that if the Sudanese want to reach something, they must work to change those leaders, but in the future and not immediately.