U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos attended a luncheon in Egypt over the weekend, where he encountered Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The meeting occurred as Washington continues to seek a political solution to Sudan’s civil war, which has displaced over 14 million people since April 2023.
Boulos and al-Burhan Meet in New Alamein City
Massad Boulos, a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, participated in a lunch hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in New Alamein City, Egypt, over the weekend. The event took place on the sidelines of an African Union coordination meeting, bringing the U.S. envoy into the same space as General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council.
While the encounter was public, officials from Sudan’s military-led government characterized the interaction as a casual encounter
rather than a formal diplomatic discussion. A senior Sudanese official stated that the two men did not hold substantive talks during the event.
U.S. Diplomatic Stance on Sudan’s Political Future
Despite the lack of formal negotiations, Boulos utilized the platform to reiterate Washington’s support for a political settlement to the ongoing conflict. In a statement posted to social media, Boulos emphasized the U.S. commitment to Sudan’s unity and its goal of transitioning toward a civilian-led government through an inclusive national dialogue. The American representative reaffirmed the steadfast position of the United States in backing the Sudanese people while working alongside Egyptian partners and other regional and international allies to end the war and alleviate humanitarian suffering, in accordance with the call made by President Trump.
Massad Boulos, U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, stated that the U.S. remains prepared to support efforts to develop a preliminary road map for the future of Sudan.
This messaging follows a firm declaration from the U.S. State Department last month, which asserted that neither the Sudanese Armed Forces nor the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) represent legitimate, constitutional governance for Sudan.
Tensions Over Ceasefire Proposals and UN Access
The meeting in Egypt follows a period of heightened friction between Washington and the leadership in Khartoum. Less than two weeks prior to the luncheon, the U.S. withheld a visa for al-Burhan that would have allowed him to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Sources in Sudan and elsewhere have linked the visa denial to a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal that the military-led government has consistently resisted.
The conflict, which has persisted since April 2023, originated from disputes over the integration of the Sudanese army and the RSF paramilitary during a planned transition to civilian rule. The war has since escalated into a humanitarian catastrophe. Amid these hostilities, the United States has formally accused the RSF of committing genocide and the Sudanese army of carrying out war crimes, while both warring factions have previously denied allegations of abuses.
