Khartoum Airport has resumed operations as a United Nations-led humanitarian hub, a development an aviation expert describes as a pivotal shift from war management to crisis management in Sudan. Ibrahim Adlan, former director of Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority, confirmed that arrangements are underway for the airport to serve as the main gateway for aid, though he cautioned that the long-term management model will determine the effort’s sustainability and impact on national sovereignty.
Adlan told Radio Dabanga that the landing of a civilian aircraft at Khartoum Airport, despite ongoing conflict, carries significant political and operational weight. He framed it as the first sovereign institution to restart, moving beyond temporary logistical measures. A key factor, he noted, is the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) decision not to target the airport, suggesting an undeclared understanding to keep the facility neutral. This tacit acceptance, combined with the UN’s formal request to use the airport, redefines it as an internationally recognised neutral zone under soft oversight.
The approach mirrors historical precedents, such as airports in the Balkans (1998) and Kabul (2001), which functioned as relief corridors amid state collapse. Adlan summarised the principle: “When it is impossible to agree on who governs, agreement is reached on what must function.” However, he stressed that Khartoum Airport cannot operate alone. It requires a network including regional airports in El Fasher, El Geneina, and Nyala, with Khartoum as the central hub and Darfur’s fields as operational extensions.
The critical question, Adlan said, is who will manage air navigation and airspace control. He outlined three scenarios. The first retains Sudanese Civil Aviation as the sole authority, supported by international protection and funding—the most sustainable option. The second, which he deemed most likely, is “shadow management”: Sudanese authorities retain legal control while international teams provide technical support and monitoring, a model used in Afghanistan and Iraq. The third involves fully foreign crews, which he warned is the riskiest, potentially eroding national capacity and creating dependency, especially in Darfur where local expertise is indispensable.
Reopening other airports in Darfur will likely be gradual and limited, possibly restricted to daytime operations with initial international support. Adlan emphasised that success hinges on integrating, not replacing, Sudanese aviation personnel. He concluded that the airport’s operation does not signal a political resolution but a practical transition. “The real question is no longer who has legitimacy, but who can restore state functions, at what cost to sovereignty and in whose interest,” he said. “Sovereignty is not measured by slogans, but by who holds the keys to the skies.”
