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Introduction by Christiane Amanpour
Voice steady, measured, reflective.
Before the war, Sudan was a country of rivers and rhythm — of markets that smelled of cardamom and streets alive with children’s laughter. Then came the silence of bombs, and the world, once again, turned its gaze too late.
But what if, instead of distance, we chose dialogue? What if power and compassion shared the same table? Across five conversations — from ceasefire to justice, from hunger to hope — world leaders, diplomats, and dreamers gather to reimagine what peace could look like if it were treated not as strategy, but as sacred duty.
This is not a summit of politics alone. It’s a meeting of conscience — a reminder that peace begins with listening, that forgiveness is an act of courage, and that even the most divided lands still remember how to heal.
Tonight, in the spirit of truth and possibility, we begin where all healing begins — by daring to talk again.
(Note: This is an imaginary conversation, a creative exploration of an idea, and not a real speech or event.)
Topic 1: The Deal for Peace: Can the Guns Go Silent?
(Moderator: Christiane Amanpour)
Participants:
President Donald J. Trump,
Moussa Faki Mahamat (Chair, African Union Commission),
Thabo Mbeki (Former President of South Africa),
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia),
António Guterres (UN Secretary-General).
Opening Scene
The discussion takes place in a high-security hall in Addis Ababa — the heart of the African Union. Outside, the air hums with the sound of helicopters and reporters. Inside, five leaders sit at a circular table beneath a ceiling mural of Africa rising through clouds. The air feels tense but hopeful.
Christiane Amanpour:
We’ve all seen ceasefires come and go in Sudan — announced with hope, broken within days. Let’s start with the blunt question: what would it actually take, politically and personally, for both generals to stop the war and accept an enforceable ceasefire?
Moussa Faki Mahamat:
The truth is, neither the SAF nor the RSF trusts the other. The only thing stronger than their fear of losing power is their fear of losing control. So we must create a shared guarantee — one they cannot manipulate or ignore. The AU proposes a joint African monitoring force, supported by the UN. If they breach the truce, they lose international legitimacy and regional backing. But for this to work, the outside powers must speak with one voice.
Donald Trump:
Look, I’ve made deals with tougher people than these guys. You can’t just beg them to stop — you make stopping profitable. The generals don’t care about lectures from New York; they care about money, recognition, and survival. You tell them: “You want aid, gold trade, legitimacy? Fine — keep the ceasefire. You bomb civilians, you lose everything.” And you make sure Saudi and UAE agree that no one breaks that line. That’s how you win. It’s business, not philosophy.
Thabo Mbeki:
But even business requires trust, Mr. President. I negotiated with men who had caused immense suffering, yet I learned something vital: peace begins when each side can see a future for itself without domination. That’s not charity; it’s structure. Sudan needs a process — African-led — that allows both factions to step back without humiliation. What you call a deal, I call dignity.
António Guterres:
Indeed, peace that depends only on leverage is fragile. We must rebuild legitimacy. The United Nations is prepared to help establish a verified humanitarian ceasefire, with satellite monitoring and civilian protection teams. But it will fail if regional interests compete for influence. We need alignment — AU, UN, U.S., Gulf, Egypt — one track, one map.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan:
That alignment is possible. Saudi Arabia hosted the Jeddah talks before, and we remain ready. But let’s be clear: Sudan’s war is fueled not only by ambition, but by external supply lines — weapons, money, and propaganda. If every external actor closes its tap, the guns will fall silent. The Kingdom is willing to guarantee this, but it requires the same commitment from every power at this table.
Christiane Amanpour:
You all mention alignment — yet the world has watched the AU, the UN, and Western powers compete for influence. So how do you prevent this effort from becoming another turf war between institutions instead of a real path to peace?
Donald Trump:
You put one flag in front: the African Union flag. The U.S. doesn’t need credit; we need results. I’d rather see Moussa here take the lead — he’s got the African legitimacy. We back it financially and with sanctions muscle. That’s partnership, not competition. And let me tell you, when people see America and Africa actually agreeing on something, the whole world takes notice.
Moussa Faki Mahamat:
That is precisely the approach we need. Africa must own this peace. Our continent has learned too well the danger of external prescriptions. But African ownership does not mean African isolation. We welcome the United States and the United Nations as strategic guarantors, not commanders.
António Guterres:
And that’s why the UN’s role is verification, not domination. The AU mediates; the UN provides the tools — drones, satellites, humanitarian coordination. In this way, we complement each other. If our partnership can model humility and efficiency, the combatants will have no excuse to stall.
Thabo Mbeki:
Let us also not forget moral leadership. If we reduce peace to power-sharing, Sudan will relapse. What sustains peace is a vision of shared destiny. We must appeal not only to the generals but to the people — civil society, women, youth — those who carried the torch of revolution. Without them, any ceasefire is just an intermission.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan:
Agreed. The next ceasefire must include civilian guarantees from the beginning. In Jeddah, one of our lessons was that purely military negotiations collapse under their own weight. If we anchor the truce in humanitarian needs — aid delivery, hospital reopening, food convoys — it gains moral gravity. It becomes harder to break publicly.
Christiane Amanpour:
Final question — if peace were framed not as surrender but as victory for Sudan’s people, how would that change the way you negotiate it?
Donald Trump:
That’s the key. You’ve got to sell peace like a win. “The warlords brought peace — they’re heroes now.” Let them save face; then hold them accountable later. If they feel they’re walking offstage losers, they’ll burn the set. You give them a role in rebuilding — temporary, supervised, but face-saving. That’s how you get the pen on paper.
Thabo Mbeki:
Peace as victory — yes, but victory for whom? For truth, for dignity, for life itself. We must speak of peace not only as the absence of war but as the presence of justice. When people see their suffering acknowledged, they no longer need vengeance. That is the deeper triumph.
António Guterres:
And that triumph must be visible. The first convoys of food, the first reopened hospital — these are not symbols; they are proof that peace serves the people. Let the Sudanese mother see her child fed, and she will defend peace harder than any soldier.
Moussa Faki Mahamat:
Let it be remembered: this war began in the shadows of pride. It must end in the light of unity. The AU will not impose peace — we will nurture it. But for that, every global actor must walk in step. Only then will the guns grow tired.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan:
The Kingdom stands ready to align that step. The Red Sea has seen enough blood; it deserves stability. We can make Sudan the first success story of true African–Arab partnership in our time.
Closing Scene
Amanpour looks around the table. Outside, the call to prayer rises faintly through the Addis evening. She closes her notebook, voice quiet but firm.
Christiane Amanpour:
If this conversation becomes more than words — if it becomes an agreement of hearts as well as politics — then maybe, finally, Sudan can breathe again.
The camera lingers on the five leaders, their faces solemn. The room falls silent, save for the echo of the muezzin’s call and the hum of possibility.
Topic 2: Feeding a Nation: How to Deliver Aid Amid Bullets
(Moderator: Nick Sasaki)
Participants:
Cindy McCain (Executive Director, World Food Programme)
Martin Griffiths (UN Relief Chief)
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Director-General, WHO)
Alaa Salah (Sudanese activist and symbol of 2019 revolution)
President Donald J. Trump (47th President of the United States)
Opening Scene
The discussion unfolds in a temporary relief coordination center at Port Sudan. Pallets of grain tower behind the glass walls. Outside, the sound of distant planes mixes with the murmur of aid workers loading trucks. A digital map glows on the table, tracing humanitarian corridors in red and green.
Nick Sasaki:
Before we talk about hope, we need to talk about hunger. Reports say millions face famine-level starvation, and aid convoys are being looted or bombed. Let’s begin with this: what are the most immediate steps — politically and logistically — to get food and medicine safely to the people who need them?
Cindy McCain:
The first step is protection. Without guaranteed security, our trucks become targets. We need a 72-hour rolling humanitarian window, renewed automatically unless broken. But words aren’t enough — we need visible commitment: armed escorts under AU-UN command, not militias. Every delay costs lives. And we can’t keep negotiating access; it has to be respected as law, not favor.
Donald Trump:
Look, the world’s seen enough talking. You pick two corridors — say, one through Chad, one through Port Sudan — and make them untouchable. You hit them, you lose funding. You protect them, you get rewards — fuel, aid, legitimacy. Simple. I’d get the UAE, Saudi, and Egypt to each sponsor one corridor. You give them a stake in keeping it safe — nobody messes with something they’re invested in.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus:
That’s useful, but we must remember that protection is not just about guns. Health protection is part of security. Cholera, measles, malnutrition — these are weapons of war now. We can reopen hospitals, but if supplies can’t move freely, people still die. So yes, we need secure corridors — but also cold chains for vaccines, oxygen plants for clinics, and mobile health teams that can reach mothers and children even in conflict zones.
Martin Griffiths:
I agree with Tedros. Humanitarian work is not a one-time drop; it’s a continuous lifeline. Right now, we’re negotiating with local commanders every week — a dozen micro-ceasefires. That’s unsustainable. What we need is a central humanitarian accord, signed by both generals and guaranteed by outside powers. If they breach it, the financial networks that keep them afloat must feel it. Hunger should never be a bargaining chip.
Alaa Salah:
For the people of Sudan, every delay feels like betrayal. My friends in Khartoum text me, “The sky rains bombs, not food.” Aid must not only be delivered — it must be seen. Let the world watch those trucks cross the border. Show the mothers receiving flour and milk. Let it be televised hope. Maybe then, those in power will realize the world is watching them choose — mercy or shame.
Nick Sasaki:
You’ve all described the logistics and politics — but there’s another challenge: the world’s attention span. After so many crises, donors and citizens are tired. How do we break through that fatigue and make people care again?
Martin Griffiths:
We must tell the human stories — not just statistics. The world reacts when it feels connection, not when it reads numbers. Every starving child is a story that can change policy. We must humanize the data again, make people feel the emergency.
Donald Trump:
Let’s be honest — attention comes from leadership. You need someone who makes people watch. If I announce a U.S.–Gulf “Feed Sudan Now” initiative — a billion-dollar match fund, televised with results every week — people will tune in. Not because it’s politics, but because it’s action. You make it a movement, not a headline.
Cindy McCain:
That visibility matters, but so does credibility. People need to know their donations reach real mouths, not bureaucracy. We’re using satellite tracking and blockchain to show every grain delivered. Transparency builds trust — and trust brings funds.
Alaa Salah:
I agree. In Sudan, people no longer trust institutions, but they trust each other. When a convoy reaches a village, it’s the local women who distribute food fairly. Let’s empower them. Give the aid directly to women’s groups and community leaders. They don’t steal; they save. The revolution taught us that the people are the most reliable logistics network we have.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus:
And let’s not forget mental resilience. The world may have fatigue, but Sudanese people have endurance. When I speak to our field doctors, they say, “We’re tired but still here.” That spirit deserves global respect — and resources to match it.
Nick Sasaki:
Final question: in a time of war, how do you preserve the dignity of the people you’re trying to save? Food and medicine help them live — but how do we help them feel human again?
Alaa Salah:
You ask a question that touches the heart of our struggle. Dignity begins with voice. When aid arrives without listening, it feels like pity. But when it arrives with partnership, it feels like respect. Let the Sudanese decide how aid is used — we know our pain best.
Cindy McCain:
Absolutely. We must end the “savior” mindset. Every bag of grain should say, From the world, to the people of Sudan — in partnership. Dignity comes from being seen not as victims, but as equals in survival.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus:
And dignity is health. When a mother can walk into a clinic and see medicine waiting, she regains her faith in the world. Healing the body is healing the soul.
Martin Griffiths:
Dignity also means protection from despair. If we can ensure continuity — food every week, medicine every month — people stop living minute to minute. They can plan again, dream again. That’s when humanity returns.
Donald Trump:
I’ll say this — if you treat people with respect, they rise. Sudan doesn’t need pity; it needs a chance. The U.S. can bring resources, the Gulf can bring logistics, and Africa can bring leadership. If we do it right, this won’t just feed people — it’ll show the world that cooperation still works. That’s dignity too.
Closing Scene
Nick Sasaki looks around the table. The sun outside dips into the Red Sea, turning the horizon copper and gold. A convoy of aid trucks begins to move out from the port, engines rumbling softly like a heartbeat returning to life.
Nick Sasaki:
If feeding Sudan is feeding hope, then every bag of grain is an act of faith — faith that we can still choose compassion over chaos. Let’s make sure that faith doesn’t run out before the food does.
The room grows quiet. One by one, the participants rise, watching the trucks roll toward the desert — small, determined, and unstoppable.
Topic 3: The Red Sea Chessboard: Aligning Regional Powers
(Co-Moderators: Craig Hamilton & President Donald J. Trump)
Participants:
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud – Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan – Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates
Sameh Shoukry – Foreign Minister of Egypt
Workneh Gebeyehu – Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
António Guterres – UN Secretary-General
Opening Scene
A glass conference room overlooks the Red Sea. The horizon glows crimson as ships pass in the distance — arteries of trade and tension alike. Flags of five nations line the table. Craig Hamilton sits opposite President Trump, who leans forward, uncharacteristically calm, listening.
Craig Hamilton:
For decades, the Red Sea has been both a bridge and a battlefield. Sudan’s collapse now threatens every shore it touches. Let’s begin with this: can rival regional powers — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt — truly align long enough to stabilize Sudan?
Prince Faisal bin Farhan:
They must. The alternative is chaos that spills across borders. The Red Sea is our shared bloodstream; if Sudan bleeds, we all weaken. Riyadh’s position is simple: stop the fighting, open the ports, and rebuild trade routes. But alignment requires trust — and trust requires proof of commitment. No secret funding, no proxy militias. The Kingdom is ready to lead by example.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed:
Agreed, but alignment also means realism. Each country has its security interests. The UAE will support peace if it ensures regional stability and protects economic corridors. What’s needed is a binding regional framework — not just pledges, but measurable obligations: ceasefire compliance, humanitarian access, and investment guarantees once the guns go silent.
Sameh Shoukry:
From Egypt’s view, stability in Sudan is existential. Our border stretches long and porous; every refugee, every smuggled weapon crosses into our soil. But alignment must balance sovereignty with responsibility. Egypt will not support external agendas that divide Sudan further. Any pact must respect African ownership first, Arab partnership second.
Workneh Gebeyehu:
Exactly. As IGAD, we’ve seen too many peace initiatives collapse because foreign powers pursued parallel tracks. Sudan’s stability begins with the Horn of Africa acting as one — Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, South Sudan — all connected through IGAD. Regional alignment cannot mean outsiders substituting for local leadership.
António Guterres:
What I hear is consensus in words, but action has lagged. The UN’s role is not to replace your sovereignty but to coordinate your intentions. If each nation truly freezes arms flows and opens humanitarian corridors, we can achieve a joint Red Sea Compact: a promise that this sea becomes a corridor of peace, not rivalry.
President Trump:
Let me jump in here. You all talk beautifully, but I deal in results. The truth is, if you don’t coordinate, China or Russia will fill the gap — they’ll build the ports, take the influence, and write the future. What I’m proposing is simple: a Red Sea Stability Summit — three Gulf powers, Egypt, AU, UN, and the U.S. We sign a no-proxy, no-funding pact. If anyone breaks it, they pay — in dollars and in reputation. That’s alignment through accountability.
Craig Hamilton:
And accountability, gentlemen, is also spiritual. When nations compete for dominance, they forget the people beneath their ambitions. What would it mean for each of you to see Sudan not as an arena but as a mirror — reflecting your own moral responsibility?
Prince Faisal bin Farhan:
It would mean humility. The war has reminded us that prosperity cannot coexist with indifference. If our wealth does not protect our neighbors, it condemns us morally. We are ready to invest in peace, not only in pipelines.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed:
True — but we must pair conscience with structure. The UAE proposes a Peace and Trade Council for the Red Sea basin. Its charter: secure ports, transparent commerce, and development zones managed by neutral administrators. Prosperity will enforce peace better than punishment alone.
Sameh Shoukry:
Let’s not forget water security. The Nile binds Sudan and Egypt more tightly than any treaty. Coordination on dams, irrigation, and refugee management must be part of this pact. When water flows fairly, politics cools naturally.
Workneh Gebeyehu:
And climate resilience must join that agenda. Drought and displacement feed conflict. The Red Sea pact must include environmental cooperation — reforestation, renewable energy, and early-warning systems for famine. Peace built on ecology lasts longer than one built on arms embargoes.
António Guterres:
Well said. The UN will support this integration — linking humanitarian recovery with climate adaptation. Let’s remember: the Red Sea is one of the most vulnerable ecosystems on the planet. Protecting it protects livelihoods, fisheries, and stability.
Craig Hamilton:
Second question, then: What would a true “Red Sea Stability Pact” look like in practice, and who must guarantee it for it to last?
President Trump:
Here’s my view: Five pillars.
Ceasefire enforcement — AU + UN monitors.
Corridor security — Gulf financing + Egypt logistics.
Investment fund — $5 billion seed capital, public-private.
Sanctions for violators.
Media transparency — let the world watch progress.
You do that, you’ve got yourself peace that pays for itself.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan:
Saudi Arabia can anchor the financial pillar. We already have the infrastructure — Jeddah for diplomacy, Port Sudan for logistics. But success requires collective ownership. The pact must be ratified by AU heads of state and endorsed by the UN Security Council within thirty days.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed:
And it needs teeth. A joint enforcement committee, rotating chairmanship, public reports every quarter. Transparency is deterrence.
Sameh Shoukry:
Egypt will support this provided that humanitarian access precedes investment. We cannot rebuild while children starve. Let aid be the first deliverable of the pact.
Workneh Gebeyehu:
IGAD can host the regional secretariat — ensuring African leadership remains central. Let external powers fund and guarantee, but let Africans steer.
Craig Hamilton:
Final question — and perhaps the hardest: how do you transform the politics of interference into a politics of shared responsibility?
António Guterres:
By recognizing that in an interconnected world, helping your neighbor is self-interest. Shared responsibility begins when we redefine security as cooperation, not competition.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan:
We start by telling the truth: interference has failed. Let this pact be the line where ambition stops and partnership begins.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed:
And we must teach our younger diplomats this lesson — that prestige comes not from dominance but from stability delivered.
Sameh Shoukry:
Responsibility is inherited through example. If this generation can cooperate across ideology, our successors will call it normal, not exceptional.
President Trump:
Exactly. You make peace profitable, people stay peaceful. That’s the deal. You invest in Sudan like it’s your own future — because it is. The Red Sea can be the new frontier of prosperity if we stop treating it like a chessboard and start treating it like a family business that only thrives when everyone’s honest.
Closing Scene
Craig Hamilton folds his notes. Outside, the Red Sea shimmers in the dusk. For a brief moment, the reflection of each nation’s flag ripples together on the water — separate colors, one tide.
Craig Hamilton:
If tonight these waters reflect cooperation instead of conflict, then maybe, for once, the sea named for its blood-red color will flow clear again.
The participants sit in silence, the waves outside whispering agreement.
Topic 4: Justice Without Revenge: Accountability That Heals
(Moderator: Christiane Amanpour)
Participants:
President Donald J. Trump – 47th President of the United States
Karim Khan – Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC)
Navi Pillay – Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Fatou Bensouda – Former ICC Chief Prosecutor
Dr. Nada Mustafa Ali – Sudanese scholar and human rights advocate
Opening Scene
The discussion unfolds inside a dimly lit room in The Hague. The walls are lined with portraits of past tribunals — Nuremberg, Rwanda, Sierra Leone. In the center, a circular table gleams beneath soft light. Rain taps gently against the window. The mood is reflective, not rhetorical.
Christiane Amanpour:
We’ve seen this pattern too often — war crimes are committed, and justice is delayed until the victims have lost faith. Sudan has been here before. Let me start by asking: how do we balance peace talks with justice, without sacrificing one for the other?
Karim Khan:
Justice is not a luxury to be postponed for stability; it is the foundation of lasting peace. Every time we trade accountability for convenience, we sign a future death warrant. The ICC is prepared to reopen and expand its investigations — but we need political backing, not hesitation. Justice must walk beside diplomacy, not behind it.
Donald Trump:
I get that, Karim, but here’s the truth — if you hit the generals too early, they dig in. They’ll fight to the end just to avoid The Hague. What you need is timing. You make peace first, and justice follows right after. That’s what I call phased accountability. You promise fairness, not revenge. Otherwise, they’ll never come to the table.
Fatou Bensouda:
Mr. President, with respect, we’ve seen that logic fail many times. In Darfur, immunity created impunity. We said, “Let’s make peace first.” It didn’t work. The victims waited two decades and still saw no justice. The message must be clear: no peace is genuine if it buries the truth.
Navi Pillay:
And justice does not have to be retribution. It can be restorative. Truth commissions, reparations, community acknowledgment — these are instruments of healing. But if there is no accountability, the culture of violence becomes hereditary. Sudan’s next generation deserves a clean moral inheritance.
Dr. Nada Mustafa Ali:
Exactly. In Sudan, people don’t demand vengeance — they demand recognition. They want the world to say, We see you. We believe what happened to you matters. If the process feels human — not just legal — they will wait for justice patiently. But if the world once again moves on, resentment will fill the vacuum.
Christiane Amanpour:
So, let’s get specific. What does accountability look like when perpetrators still hold power? Can you really prosecute those who command armies and control governments?
Donald Trump:
Yes, but not with lectures. You use leverage. You freeze the gold, the bank accounts, the travel. You tell them, “You want legitimacy? Cooperate with justice.” That’s how you turn power into partnership. You don’t humiliate them publicly; you make compliance profitable. That’s the art of the deal — justice through incentives.
Karim Khan:
Incentives can help, but let us be clear: cooperation is not charity. These individuals command armies that have committed crimes against humanity. The law cannot be optional. However, justice can be creative. We can begin with hybrid courts — international judges working alongside Sudanese jurists — to balance sovereignty with universality.
Navi Pillay:
I like that idea. Hybrid courts offer legitimacy at home and integrity abroad. But they must include victims’ participation. In Rwanda, when survivors testified, healing began. In Sudan, women have carried the moral weight of the nation’s pain; their voices must be central.
Fatou Bensouda:
Let’s also remember the role of the African Union. When Africa leads justice, it breaks the myth that accountability is a Western weapon. I’ve always believed that justice for Africa must come from Africa — rooted in its own moral soil, but guided by universal law.
Dr. Nada Mustafa Ali:
And we must protect witnesses. Many activists inside Sudan are risking their lives collecting testimonies. Without safety and international protection, their courage is meaningless. The first act of justice is to shield the truth-tellers.
Christiane Amanpour:
Final question — can forgiveness and truth-telling coexist in a nation still bleeding from its wounds? Or must one come before the other?
Donald Trump:
They can coexist if people see real progress. You give them justice that moves — arrests, trials, visible results — but you also give them hope: rebuilding, aid, jobs. Forgiveness follows when people start living again. You don’t heal through apologies; you heal through action.
Fatou Bensouda:
Forgiveness without truth is amnesia. And truth without forgiveness is poison. Sudan needs both. The victims’ voices must shape the process — not foreign diplomats, not politicians, but those who suffered. Only they can decide when forgiveness is deserved.
Karim Khan:
And truth-telling must be continuous, not ceremonial. Every atrocity documented is a safeguard for the future. When history is recorded in real time, denial dies early.
Navi Pillay:
Forgiveness begins when people feel seen. I’ve watched survivors look their oppressors in the eye and say, “I do not hate you, but I will not forget.” That is the sacred tension of true reconciliation — not erasing pain, but transforming it into wisdom.
Dr. Nada Mustafa Ali:
In Sudan, we say: “The wound that speaks heals faster than the one that hides.” Truth-telling is our medicine. Forgiveness will come later — not as surrender, but as strength.
Closing Scene
Rain stops outside. A faint beam of sunlight filters through the clouds, touching the table. Amanpour looks around the room — faces firm, yet softened by the weight of shared purpose.
Christiane Amanpour:
If Sudan is ever to rise again, it won’t be because the guilty were punished alone, but because the innocent were finally heard. Justice is not revenge — it’s remembrance with responsibility.
The camera lingers on the ICC seal as the participants stand, their reflections merging briefly on the polished surface — as if unity were possible, even in the house of judgment.
Topic 5: Rebuilding Sudan: From Revolution to Renaissance
(Moderator: Craig Hamilton)
Participants:
President Donald J. Trump – 47th President of the United States
Alaa Salah – Sudanese activist and symbol of the 2019 revolution
Abdalla Hamdok – Former Prime Minister of Sudan
Dr. Amira Osman – Urban planner and civil society advocate
Ramy Essam – Egyptian musician and freedom activist
Opening Scene
The setting is a luminous rooftop terrace in Port Sudan overlooking the Red Sea. The war has quieted. Below, the streets pulse with cautious life — shopkeepers reopening stalls, children chasing each other among the rubble. The five participants gather as the evening wind carries a faint scent of salt and smoke. Lanterns flicker on, like small promises.
Craig Hamilton:
After so much destruction, it’s easy to forget that peace is not the end of the story — it’s the beginning of a harder one. Let’s start here: what would a postwar Sudan look like if it were rebuilt not by generals or donors, but by its youth, women, and entrepreneurs?
Alaa Salah:
It would look like color returning to a faded photograph. For years, Sudanese women have kept families alive — baking bread through bombings, teaching children in shelters, treating the wounded when hospitals fell. We don’t want pity; we want partnership. The revolution was about dignity. The reconstruction must be about inclusion — women in the cabinet, youth in the councils, the diaspora in the design. We have the talent; we need the trust.
Donald Trump:
I agree with that. You can’t rebuild a country with just politicians — you need builders, businesspeople, and doers. I’d bring in an Africa Rebuild Fund — public-private, big investors working with local entrepreneurs. Sudan’s got resources — gold, agriculture, ports — but it needs stability and ownership. You let the people profit from peace, they’ll protect it. I call that peace with dividends.
Abdalla Hamdok:
Economic reconstruction is crucial, but moral reconstruction comes first. The Sudanese people have lost faith in institutions. We must create governance that feels transparent and accountable. My dream is a technocratic transition — not based on party loyalty, but on competence and integrity. The future belongs to those who serve, not those who rule.
Dr. Amira Osman:
And architecture must mirror that spirit. Cities must rise not from concrete alone, but from community participation. When people build their own neighborhoods, they heal their trauma through creation. We must turn ruins into classrooms, bullet holes into windows for light. Physical design can carry spiritual meaning — that’s how you turn rubble into rebirth.
Ramy Essam:
I’ve sung in cities that lost everything but hope. When people sing again, it means they still believe tomorrow exists. Sudan’s renaissance will begin with art — murals, songs, stories. Let every wall that once echoed with gunfire now echo with music. That’s when you know you’ve rebuilt the soul, not just the skyline.
Craig Hamilton:
All of you are describing a Sudan that breathes again. But there’s a danger here — foreign powers may rush in to “help,” often for their own benefit. How can global players support reconstruction without repeating patterns of dependency or exploitation?
Abdalla Hamdok:
We must learn to say “yes” selectively. Accept help, not control. The new Sudan must negotiate from strength — with a unified national plan and transparent priorities. Aid must empower our industries, not replace them. If donors build for us, we become tenants. If we build with them, we become partners.
Donald Trump:
That’s the right attitude. Nobody respects a beggar nation — they respect a partner. The U.S. can help with infrastructure, trade, and security, but Sudan has to lead. We can bring the tools; they’ve got to bring the drive. I’d love to see American companies in Sudan — not as colonizers, but as collaborators. Win-win deals make peace permanent.
Dr. Amira Osman:
True partnership also means respecting our identity. We don’t want a cloned Dubai or a borrowed Washington. We want a Sudanese future — modern, yes, but rooted in culture. Urban design, education, and law must reflect our diversity. The world can lend its experience, but not its blueprint.
Alaa Salah:
Dependency is psychological as much as financial. The revolution taught us that real power begins when people believe they have it. Let the world stand with us, but not in front of us. Support our farmers, our teachers, our engineers — that’s where true independence grows.
Ramy Essam:
And art again plays a role. When a nation tells its own story, no one else can own its destiny. International support should amplify Sudanese voices, not replace them. Give us the stage, not the script.
Craig Hamilton:
Final question — and perhaps the deepest: what spiritual or moral foundation must Sudan rediscover to heal as one nation?
Donald Trump:
I’ll say something you might not expect from me: faith. I’ve seen countries rise when they believe they’re chosen for something greater. Sudan’s got a destiny — to show Africa that unity after war is possible. But you need forgiveness, you need vision, and you need leadership that serves, not exploits. Build that, and I’ll call it a miracle made by people.
Alaa Salah:
Faith, yes — but not in politics or leaders. Faith in ourselves. We’ve seen governments fall, but mothers never stop cooking, doctors never stop treating, teachers never stop teaching. That’s divine strength. Sudan will heal when we see God not just above us, but between us.
Dr. Amira Osman:
To heal, we must listen. Every ruined building whispers a memory. We must preserve those stories, not erase them. Forgiveness comes from remembering together. The moral foundation of Sudan is empathy — the ability to say, your pain is also mine.
Abdalla Hamdok:
And perhaps humility. We thought independence was the end of struggle, but it was only the beginning of responsibility. True nationhood means serving without ego. The greatest victory for Sudan will be the quiet triumph of ordinary people rebuilding what power destroyed.
Ramy Essam:
Music taught me this: harmony is not sameness. It’s difference that agrees to coexist. Sudan’s melody will not be pure; it will be plural. That’s its beauty — Christians, Muslims, Arabs, Africans — one rhythm, many notes. When we can dance together again, peace will no longer need a treaty.
Closing Scene
The Red Sea glimmers below as the final light of day fades into rose gold. The conversation slows; even the wind seems to listen. Craig Hamilton stands, hands clasped.
Craig Hamilton:
War tears down walls, but peace builds bridges — sometimes out of the same stones. Tonight, as Sudan stands between memory and possibility, may this not be the end of a conflict, but the beginning of a calling — for all nations to remember what it means to rebuild not just a country, but a conscience.
The five stand together, watching the horizon. The camera pans wide: across the sea, cranes rise over the port — silhouettes of rebirth. A faint sound drifts upward — drums, children’s laughter, and a woman’s voice singing softly in Arabic.
“The earth remembers mercy.”
Fade to black.
Final Thoughts by Craig Hamilton
Soft, contemplative tone, with a sense of closure that invites inward reflection.
Peace is never signed once; it is lived daily — rebuilt in the gestures of ordinary people who refuse to surrender their humanity. Sudan’s suffering has been immense, yet within that pain lies a lesson for the world: that reconciliation is not the end of war, but the awakening of wisdom.
When leaders speak not from pride but from remembrance — when nations listen beyond their borders — the world shifts. What we have heard here are not just strategies, but seeds. Seeds of mercy, responsibility, and renewal.
Perhaps, one day, when Sudan’s children play again beside a quiet Nile, they will not remember our words, only the silence that followed — the silence of peace returning home.
And if that day comes, let it remind us all: the work of peace is never finished, because it is the work of becoming fully human.
Short Bios:
Donald J. Trump
47th President of the United States, businessman, and author. Known for his unorthodox approach to diplomacy, he often emphasizes deal-making and pragmatic peace through strength.
Christiane Amanpour
Chief International Anchor for CNN and host of Amanpour & Company on PBS. Renowned for her courageous war reporting and interviews with global leaders, she is a voice for truth and human rights.
Craig Hamilton
Spiritual teacher and founder of Integral Enlightenment. His work explores conscious leadership and the integration of wisdom and action in public life.
Moussa Faki Mahamat
Chairperson of the African Union Commission and former Prime Minister of Chad. A leading advocate for African-led solutions to continental peace and security.
Thabo Mbeki
Former President of South Africa and mediator in multiple African peace processes. He champions the idea of an African Renaissance rooted in unity and responsibility.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Central to regional diplomacy in the Middle East and Africa, he focuses on stability, trade, and conflict resolution.
António Guterres
Secretary-General of the United Nations. A lifelong advocate for global cooperation, humanitarian aid, and multilateral diplomacy.
Cindy McCain
Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme. A leading humanitarian voice addressing global hunger and crisis response.
Martin Griffiths
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. He has led major negotiations for ceasefires and aid access in some of the world’s toughest conflicts.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Director-General of the World Health Organization and former Ethiopian Health Minister. Known for championing equitable healthcare access worldwide.
Alaa Salah
Sudanese activist, educator, and symbol of the 2019 Sudanese Revolution. Her image became a global emblem of courage and women’s leadership in peace movements.
Karim Khan
Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. He oversees global investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Fatou Bensouda
Former ICC Chief Prosecutor and Gambian lawyer. Known for her relentless pursuit of justice in cases of genocide and mass atrocities.
Navi Pillay
Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and South African jurist. She has been a lifelong advocate for international justice and equality.
Dr. Nada Mustafa Ali
Sudanese scholar and feminist human rights defender. Her research focuses on gender, conflict, and social transformation in the Horn of Africa.
Abdalla Hamdok
Former Prime Minister of Sudan and economist. He worked to guide Sudan’s fragile transition toward democracy through inclusive governance and reform.
Dr. Amira Osman
Sudanese architect and urban planner. She advocates for sustainable and inclusive design as a tool for rebuilding post-conflict societies.
Ramy Essam
Egyptian musician and activist known as “the voice of the revolution.” His songs blend resistance, hope, and cultural unity across the Arab world.
Workneh Gebeyehu
Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and former Ethiopian Foreign Minister. Key figure in regional peacebuilding efforts.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates. Prominent in fostering diplomatic partnerships and regional stabilization initiatives.
Sameh Shoukry
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt. Focused on regional security, Nile water cooperation, and pragmatic diplomacy in Africa and the Middle East.
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