The upcoming meeting of the Five-Party Committee, scheduled for Wednesday in Addis Ababa, has sparked a sharp split within the political coalition loyal to the Sudanese army, as its members are divided between those who support participation and those who oppose it.
The split emerged within the “Democratic Bloc,” a political coalition comprising a number of armed movements and political, tribal, and social entities, which has emerged as one of the most prominent forces supporting the military since the coup on October 25, 2021. While one wing of the coalition refrained from participating in the meeting, another wing arrived in Addis Ababa to take part.
The faction within the bloc that refuses to participate in the meetings is led by Jaafar al-Mirghani, the bloc’s chairman, and Jibril Ibrahim, chairman of the Justice and Equality Movement, along with other leaders including Mohamed al-Amin Turki, Al-Tom Hajo, Mustafa Tambour, Musa Hilal, Nabil Adib, and others.
In contrast, the faction participating in the meeting is led by Minni Arko Minnawi, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement; Mubarak Ardol, head of the Social Alliance; and Al-Amin Daoud, head of the United Popular Front.
Division Over Participation
The faction refusing to participate justified its decision in a statement, saying that its stance stems from the participation of the “Tasis” Alliance, which it described as the political wing of the Rapid Support Forces, arguing that the Alliance’s participation in the meeting represents a blurring of the political and security tracks.
In contrast, the faction participating in the meetings issued a statement noting that the bloc’s leader, Jaafar al-Mirghani—who heads the faction opposing participation—was fully aware of the arrangements for participation and had worked alongside the other components to manage communications and coordinate with the relevant parties.
The statement added that Al-Mirghani was briefed on all the political forces participating in the Addis Ababa meetings and oversaw the necessary final amendments before sending the approval to the Quintet Committee, “thereby making the participating delegation the officially accredited one that expresses the will of the bloc’s institutions and their organizational decisions.”
The statement explicitly affirmed that the delegation currently in Addis Ababa “is the only official delegation authorized by the institutions of the Democratic Bloc to negotiate with the Five-Member Committee and all other relevant parties.”
In discussing developments it said had occurred in recent hours, the participating wing noted in its statement that “there have been developments over the past seventy-two hours, the nature of which is unclear to the Democratic Bloc or the parties behind them.”
Accusations Against Burhan
While the participating faction did not disclose the nature of the “developments” it referred to in its statement, a member of the participating delegation accused Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of seeking to derail the meetings. The member, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Sky News Arabia that Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan “is seeking to derail the Addis Ababa meetings in order to pressure regional and international parties to accept the internal political dialogue he recently announced.”
In a speech addressed to the Sudanese people on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, Burhan had said that arrangements were underway to launch a political dialogue within Sudan, claiming that the Sudanese people would not accept the results of any conferences or dialogues held outside the country.
The deputy head of the Political Liaison and Foreign Relations Committee of the “Sumud” Alliance of Democratic Civil Forces, Taha Othman Ishaq, in an interview with “Sky News Arabia,” described Burhan’s call as one of his repeated attempts to block any international or regional efforts aimed at reaching radical solutions that would end the war and lay the groundwork for a serious political process.
He said that through this call, Burhan “continues to consolidate his coup,” adding that he “is working to derail any political process that does not guarantee his continued hold on power, while simultaneously precluding the return of his Islamist allies to power.”
Addis Ababa’s Stakes
The five-party committee, comprising the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the League of Arab States, had called for a preparatory meeting aimed at bridging the gaps between the participating Sudanese parties, as part of preparations for broader political negotiations that would incorporate the serious initiatives on the table—including the Quartet’s initiative—within the ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at advancing the political dialogue process and ending the ongoing war in Sudan.
The meetings are scheduled to begin today with the participation of Sudanese parties, foremost among them the Civil Democratic Forces Alliance “Sumud,” the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdul Wahid Nur, the “Tasis” Alliance, and the Democratic Bloc, alongside other Sudanese political parties and forces.
The deputy head of the Political Liaison and Foreign Relations Committee of the “Sumud” Alliance of Democratic Civil Forces, Taha Othman Ishaq, in an interview with “Sky News Arabia,” described Burhan’s call as one of his repeated attempts to block any international or regional efforts aimed at reaching radical solutions that would end the war and lay the groundwork for a serious political process.
He said that through this call, Burhan “continues to consolidate his coup,” adding that he “is working to derail any political process that does not guarantee his continued hold on power, while at the same time precluding the return of his Islamist allies to power.”
Addis Ababa’s Stakes
The five-party committee, comprising the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the League of Arab States, had called for a preparatory meeting aimed at bridging the gaps between the participating Sudanese parties, as part of preparations for broader political negotiations that would incorporate the serious initiatives on the table—including the Quartet’s initiative—within the ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at advancing the political dialogue process and ending the ongoing war in Sudan.
The meetings are scheduled to begin today with the participation of Sudanese parties, foremost among them the Civil Democratic Forces Alliance “Sumud,” the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdul Wahid Nur, the “Tasis” Alliance, and the Democratic Bloc, alongside other Sudanese political parties and forces.
International and regional efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and advance political settlement tracks are accelerating, amid intensive diplomatic moves to create the conditions for a comprehensive Sudanese-led political process, in parallel with strengthening the humanitarian response and protecting civilians.
The rift that has emerged within the pro-army bloc poses a new challenge for the Addis Ababa meetings, at a time when international and regional parties are working to lay the groundwork for a broadly credible political process aimed at ending the war and restoring stability to Sudan.
