Kamil Idris, who heads Sudan's transitional civilian government, told the Security Council his plan calls for a ceasefire monitored by the United Nations, African Union and Arab League, and the withdrawal of paramilitary forces from all areas they occupy, their placement in supervised camps and their disarmament.
Sudan plunged into chaos in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) exploded into open fighting, with widespread mass killings and rapes, and ethnically motivated violence. This has amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity, according to the UN and international rights groups.
It seemed highly unlikely the RSF would support the prime minister's proposal, which would essentially give government forces a victory and take away their military power.
In an indirect reference to the truce supported by the US and key mediators Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, known as the Quad, Idris stressed to the UN Security Council that the government's proposal is "homemade - not imposed on us."
In early November, the RSF agreed to a humanitarian truce. At that time, a Sudanese military official told The Associated Press the army welcomed the Quad's proposal but would only agree to a truce when the RSF completely withdraws from civilian areas and gives up their weapons — key provisions in the plan Idris put forward on Monday.
Idris said unless the paramilitary forces were confined to camps, a truce had "no chance for success." He challenged the 15 members of the Security Council to back his proposal.
"This initiative can mark the moment when Sudan steps back from the edge and the international community — You! You! — stood on the right side of history," the Sudanese prime minister said.
The council should "be remembered not as a witness to collapse, but as a partner in recovery", he said.
US deputy ambassador Jeffrey Bartos, who spoke to the council before Idris, said the Trump administration has offered a humanitarian truce as a way forward.
"We urge both belligerents to accept this plan without preconditions immediately," he said.
Bartos said the Trump administration strongly condemns the horrific violence across Darfur and the Kordofan region - and the atrocities committed by both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, who must be held accountable.
UAE Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, a member of the Quad, said there is an immediate opportunity to implement the humanitarian truce and get aid to Sudanese civilians in desperate need.
"Lessons of history and present realities make it clear that unilateral efforts by either of the warring parties are not sustainable and will only prolong the war," he warned.
Abushahab said a humanitarian truce must be followed by a permanent ceasefire "and a pathway towards civilian rule independent of the warring parties".
The devastating war in Sudan has killed more than 40,000 people according to UN figures, but aid groups say the true number could be many times higher.
The conflict has created the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with over 14 million people displaced, disease outbreaks and famine spreading in parts of the country.
