The Quintet: 5 Global Institutions Urge Ramadan Truce In Sudan

A coalition of five international bodies has issued a coordinated call for a Ramadan truce in Sudan, framing a temporary humanitarian pause as both an urgent civilian protection measure and a possible gateway to wider de-escalation in a war now entering its third year.

The Quintet, comprising the United Nations, African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, League of Arab States and European Union, urged warring parties to halt escalation ahead of Ramadan and enable safe aid delivery.

Escalation Before Ramadan

In a joint statement, the group expressed “grave concern at the continued escalation of the conflict in the Sudan” and called for the “immediate halting of any further military escalation.”

It cited the use of “increasingly destructive means of warfare” and warned that civilians “must no longer bear the cost of ongoing hostilities.”

The Quintet pointed to deteriorating conditions in Kordofan and Blue Nile State, citing drone strikes, sieges of population centers and attacks on hospitals, schools and humanitarian assets.

The statement invoked UN Security Council Resolution 2736 of 13 June 2024, stressing that any truce must align with international humanitarian law and existing commitments.

Humanitarian System Under Strain

The urgency reflects a deepening famine trajectory. In August 2025, the UN described Sudan as facing the world’s largest hunger crisis, with half the population of about 25 million people, lacking sufficient food after more than two years of war. It called for safe, unhindered humanitarian access nationwide.

On Jan. 15, the World Food Programme warned that assistance reaches nearly 1.8 million people monthly in famine or high-risk areas, but without urgent funding stocks will run out.

Only a few days ago, UNICEF said at least 20 Sudanese children were killed in January 2026, mainly in Darfur and Kordofan, amid hunger and continued fighting.

Serious violations of international humanitarian law cannot go unaddressed. Perpetrators must be held accountable.

The Quintet

Weapons Flows And Fragmentation Risk

Beyond immediate ceasefire mechanics, the group emphasized halting “the flow of weapons, fighters and other forms of support that sustain violence and contribute to the fragmentation of Sudan.”

It reaffirmed Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, linking escalation to broader state collapse risks.

The Quintet said a Ramadan truce “could serve as an important step toward a broader cessation of hostilities,” while committing to facilitate a Sudanese-owned, inclusive political dialogue aimed at ending the war and enabling a peaceful transition.