Riyadh’s Diplomatic Gamble to Rebrand Sudan’s Military Chief

Since March, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji has hosted private meetings with prominent civilian figures, including Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi and Omar el-Degeir. The strategy aims to provide Burhan with the international legitimacy he currently lacks, especially as the Jeddah ceasefire process remains stalled. However, this initiative faces a significant hurdle: Burhan’s own record of obstructing peace talks and overseeing widespread human rights abuses. The United States sanctioned him in 2025, citing the military's continued targeting of civilians and infrastructure.

The effort to frame Burhan as a transition leader contradicts the findings of the UN Fact-Finding Mission, which documented tens of thousands of deaths and the systematic use of heavy weaponry in populated areas. Reports from Human Rights Watch and other observers highlight that the SAF, under his command, has engaged in arbitrary arrests, torture, and indiscriminate air strikes. Adding to the controversy, Riyadh is reportedly financing a $1.5 billion arms deal between Pakistan and the SAF, further signaling a commitment to military force over political reform. Critics argue that this diplomatic push risks undermining independent civilian efforts, such as the recent gathering in Addis Ababa, by prioritizing top-down control over genuine democratic accountability. For many Sudanese, the maneuver appears less like a path toward peace and more like a geopolitical project to preserve a status quo built on the ruins of a devastating conflict.