An African Union delegation recently embarked on a two-day visit to Sudan, aiming to advance a ceasefire, improve humanitarian access, and revive political talks after nearly three years of war. The visit comes as Sudan’s army has retaken much of Khartoum, the paramilitary RSF remains entrenched in Darfur, and Kordofan has emerged as a new battleground. The AU wants to prevent the conflict from being reduced to a power-sharing arrangement between two armed factions and instead promote an inclusive, Sudanese-led political transition. Previous efforts, including the 2023 Jeddah commitments and repeated AU initiatives, have failed. The AU also lacks enforcement, financial, and military mechanisms to compel the combatants to stop fighting, leaving it dependent on diplomatic pressure and coordination with the UN, IGAD, and other international actors.