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Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem said Sudan is "closer to peace," expressing hope that improved stability will pave the way for expanded cooperation with Türkiye, which he described as a "strategic ally."
Salem made the remarks on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new building of the Sudanese Embassy in Ankara.
Speaking to Anadolu, Salem said Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) "has been categorized by law as a terrorist militia," adding that there would be no negotiations with the group.
"There is no negotiation with a terrorist. Also, most of those who are fighting with RSF now, mercenaries," he said.
"I don't think it is logical to negotiate with a mercenary on my ground. So, there is no negotiation," he added.
Salem said Sudan presented what he called "a very frank and very open initiative" to the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council on Dec. 22, 2025, outlining the government's approach to dealing with the RSF.
"It shows the vision of the government of Sudan to deal with this militia," he said.
The foreign minister said he discussed with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan "some views about our holistic approach towards the peace process in Sudan."
"With the advancement of our troops on the ground, we are closer to peace in Sudan, and that will lay the ground for more strategic cooperation in the rehabilitation of Sudan," Salem said.
He said Turkish technology, experience and companies in different fields would be "part and parcel" of Sudan's rehabilitation.
"Türkiye is a strategic ally of Sudan, so it is going to be one of the first in Sudan in the coming few years," Salem added.
Fidan said Tuesday that Ankara will continue supporting efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in Sudan, meet the humanitarian needs of the Sudanese people and contribute to the country's reconstruction.
"We stated that we will continue to support efforts to resolve the conflict in the country; continue our work to meet the humanitarian needs of our Sudanese brothers and sisters; and maintain our development assistance during Sudan's reconstruction process," Fidan wrote on X.
Fidan made the remarks after hosting Salem in Ankara.
He said the two sides held comprehensive talks on bilateral political, economic and trade relations.
Fidan added that he and Salem also held extensive consultations on regional developments, particularly in the Horn of Africa, as well as global security issues.
The two ministers signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation between the Diplomacy Academy of the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the Diplomatic Institute of Sudan's Foreign and International Cooperation Ministry.
Reaffirming Türkiye's position on Sudan, Fidan said Ankara would maintain its principled stance in support of preserving Sudan's independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.
"We will maintain our principled stance in support of preserving the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Sudan, with which we share historic and deep-rooted ties, and continue to deepen our relations on the basis of mutual respect and an equal partnership," he said.
More than 20,000 people have recently been displaced in Sudan's western Darfur region because of deteriorating security conditions and escalating violence, the U.N. said Tuesday.
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the U.N. secretary-general, said humanitarian partners reported that insecurity and intercommunal violence in Darfur had forced more than 20,000 people to flee their homes, with many in urgent need of support.
He did not specify the time frame of the displacement.
"We once again call on all parties to protect civilians and to facilitate rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access," Haq said, according to the U.N.
The three Kordofan states — North, West and South Kordofan — along with Darfur and Blue Nile state, have witnessed intense fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF since Oct. 25, 2025.
Sudan has been engulfed in war between the army and the RSF since April 2023 over disagreements on integrating the rival forces into a unified military.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced about 13 million others.
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