Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has held unannounced consultations with political and civil society groups aimed at creating conditions for a comprehensive Sudanese dialogue conference, according to political sources familiar with the discussions.
The consultations produced agreement in principle on practical steps including ending negative media campaigns against political opponents, considering the suspension of death-penalty charges against dozens of opponents of the army-led Transitional Sovereignty Council, and selecting a preparatory committee.
What the proposed process would involve
The proposed committee would consist of independent and broadly accepted figures with specialised expertise. It would decide who participates in the conference, set its agenda, choose the venue and date, and invite international and regional parties to monitor the proceedings, the sources said.
The possible suspension of charges would affect political figures, mainly members of the Somoud Alliance led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. The charges include allegations of war crimes, inciting war against the state and undermining the constitution. Somoud has denied accusations that it supports the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF.
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Why the consultations matter now
The Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF have been at war since April 2023. The consultations focused on bringing key political players into an intra-Sudanese conference and building what participants described as a climate conducive to dialogue.
Hatem al-Sir, an adviser to the head of the Democratic Unionist Party-Original, said the meetings included leaders of political blocs, native administration chiefs, Sufi order leaders, independent figures, academics, professionals and resistance committees. He said they were intended to strengthen national consensus and develop an agreed national project.
Disputes over inclusion and outside mediation
The Quintet — the United Nations, African Union, European Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development and Arab League — has been seeking agreement among Sudanese political blocs on the structure of a national dialogue. Its discussions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which began on July 29, did not resolve disagreements, and several groups, including Somoud, did not attend.
Somoud leader Babiker Faisal accused the Quintet of abandoning earlier understandings and said the army leadership could use the process to strengthen its authority. The Quintet said it would continue consultations with civilian forces and other stakeholders, while stressing inclusiveness, Sudanese ownership, opposition to parallel governing structures, de-escalation and negotiated peace.
Figures from the National Congress Party, which governed Sudan under former President Omar al-Bashir until his overthrow in 2018, also criticised its exclusion from the proposed process. Former Federal Governance Minister Hamid Mumtaz said excluding the party would make a political dialogue incomplete.
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