Sudan cannot afford to dismiss a chance for dialogue
A new initiative faces serious questions about military influence, but its critics should not write it off prematurely.
Key points
- A 19-member Sudanese committee launched an initiative in August to prepare for national dialogue inside Sudan.
- The civilian coalition Sumoud and the Ta’sis alliance, which includes the RSF, oppose the initiative over independence and legitimacy concerns.
- The African Union Commission and the Arab League have welcomed the initiative, but its real test lies ahead.
More than three years into the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Sudan needs a political settlement. A committee of 19 Sudanese public figures, chaired by Ahfad University President Qasim Badri, launched an initiative in August to prepare for national dialogue inside Sudan. The committee had earlier met SAF chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and called for legal restrictions on opposition politicians to be lifted. The authorities then issued a decree to drop certain politically motivated charges against Sudanese abroad returning for dialogue and grant participants temporary legal protections.
Opposition to the initiative
The civilian coalition Sumoud, led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, and Ta’sis, an alliance that includes the RSF, have opposed the proposed internal dialogue. They question its independence and warn that holding talks in army-controlled areas could legitimise al-Burhan’s authority and entrench divisions. The committee says it is not seeking to negotiate Sudan’s future or set the agenda of a national dialogue, but only to help create conditions for political actors to engage directly.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
— Al Jazeera
Regional support and next steps
The African Union Commission and the Arab League have welcomed the initiative, providing regional support. The article says the committee’s initiative should be judged without excessive optimism or automatic suspicion. The legal measures announced after its engagement with al-Burhan are an encouraging first step, but the real test lies ahead: whether it removes legal and political obstacles in practice, wins the confidence of those who rejected it, and ensures Sudanese across political and geographical divides can participate freely.
