Can the AU make its current Sudan mission count?

What the report says

The African Union has sent a two-day delegation to Sudan to try to advance a ceasefire, expand humanitarian access and restart a political process aimed at ending the country’s war, according to Al Jazeera. The visit began on Sunday and comes as fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continues across several parts of the country, including Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan.

Al Jazeera reported that the AU Peace and Security Council is meeting Sudanese authorities and other conflict actors as part of an effort the council approved earlier this year. The mission reflects a broader AU push for a Sudanese-led political settlement, after previous regional and international mediation efforts failed to stop the war that began in April 2023 following a breakdown in the country’s transition from military rule.

The report said the battlefield picture remains unsettled: the army has regained much of the capital, while the RSF retains strong positions in the west and remains able to fight elsewhere. That stalemate is shaping the diplomacy, because neither side appears ready to concede. The AU has repeatedly called for coordinated mediation with partners including IGAD, the UN and the Jeddah process sponsors.

Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said the AU has political credibility but limited direct leverage over the combatants. The delegation’s importance, they said, will depend on whether it can turn the visit into practical commitments on aid access and talks once it leaves the country.