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Sudan: Key to Geopolitical Domination in the Middle East
By: Alfred Djasnan - CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Charilogone.The conflict in Sudan has resulted in major human, economic, and infrastructure losses. This war stems from a struggle for influence between the allies of both sides: General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, representing the army and its Islamist militias, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, alias Hemeti, head of the RSF forces.
In April 2025, Egypt, an ally of General Burhan, invited China to participate in an airborne military training exercise in the Sinai. This move is seen as a major betrayal by the United States and Israel, as Egypt, a historical American ally, receives more than $1.4 billion in annual aid under the Camp David Accords. This Sino-Egyptian rapprochement raises doubts among the Americans, who may now seek to strengthen their ties with Sudan, to the detriment of Egypt.
This strategic realignment could also push Israel to reassess its position towards Sudan, despite Benjamin Netanyahu's reluctance to deal with a Sudan ruled by Islamists or other radical actors in the Middle East.
For the United States, control of Sudan is crucial, providing it with decisive influence throughout the Middle East. Regionally, actors are divided into two camps: those who support the Islamists and Al-Burhan, such as Egypt, and those who advocate for a secular Sudan that favors economic relations, such as the United Arab Emirates.
Strategic Issues
To counter China's growing influence in Africa and the Middle East, the United States is currently focusing its efforts on two strategic countries: Sudan and Somalia, both bordering the Red Sea. By controlling this shipping route and the Panama Canal, recently acquired by the American consortium BlackRock, the United States could curb Chinese ambitions.
In the event of an Egyptian challenge to this American project, particularly given Egypt's control of the Suez Canal, the United States could consider an alternative: the Ben Gurion Canal, an Israeli project. Under an ambitious US administration, the geopolitical future of the Middle East could be reshaped for the next 100 years.
Furthermore, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which maintain good relations with the United States, will redefine their economic strategies in collaboration with Washington. These two countries have already announced trillions of dollars of investments in the United States for the coming years. The Emirates' relations with Ethiopia and Somaliland will further strengthen American ambitions to secure an agreement with them to secure the Red Sea. This partnership could include the establishment of a military base, preventing Houthi rebels from threatening this strategic sea route.
On the other hand, Al-Burhan's allies—Egypt, Qatar, Algeria, Turkey, Iran, and even Pakistan—form a bloc that is not well-liked by Washington and Jerusalem. They are seeking to counter the influence of these states, considered radical, in an already fragile region. Finally, political tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia, exacerbated by Ethiopia's Grand African Renaissance Dam project, remain a point of contention. While Egypt fears for its control over the Nile's waters, Ethiopia, confident in its strategic position in the region, insists on its right to benefit from this vital resource.
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