Dr. Abdullah Hamdok, Chairman of the “Sumoud” Alliance, said that the cessation of hostilities is a temporary measure, but ending the war means eradicating it at its roots. Speaking at a seminar held by the “Sumoud” Alliance delegation in New York yesterday, he praised the initiatives aimed at ending the war since its earliest months, particularly the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States in Jeddah and other forums. He said they support the outcomes of the first joint meeting between the Quartet and the Quintet, held a few days ago in New York, which produced a roadmap for the Sudanese crisis. The roadmap called for closer coordination between the political and security tracks and for measures to curb violence and protect civilians in Sudan.
Hamdok said: “We proposed that there be synergy between the Quartet and the Quintet, and their first meeting took place two days ago.” He added: “In my view, the Quartet was the first initiative to state that there is no decisive military solution or victory, and it called for the exclusion of those who have undermined political life over the past thirty years, as well as the restoration of civilian rule”.
A New Charter
Hamdok called for moving beyond the current state of fragmentation and polarization, saying: “Everyone who speaks with us says it is impossible to unite the Sudanese people and that fragmentation will continue, but I believe we have begun to unite the civilian forces. Last August, we moved to form a broader coalition—the anti-war forces that are not aligned with any party—and produced a vision to end the war.”
“He referred to a comprehensive political process under the umbrella of the Quintet in coordination with the Quartet, saying: “War did not fall upon us from the sky; Sudan has been plagued by wars since its independence because we have failed to manage our diversity. There is no military solution to this crisis—it can only be resolved through a political and negotiated process. “We are proposing consensus on a new social charter, the foundation of which is to agree on creating a nation based on equal citizenship, a single national army, addressing imbalances between the center and the periphery, and transitional justice, as well as on non-discrimination and national unity.”
Closing Remarks
Hamdok said that the historic challenge facing Sudanese people is that they are at a crossroads: either to continue the war and slide toward disintegration, or to seize the opportunity to achieve peace. He added: “The primary responsibility falls on us, with the assistance of the international community, our brothers, and our friends.”
He concluded with messages to Sudanese Americans, recalling the Washington demonstration during the revolutionary marches in the final days of the Salvation regime and urging Sudanese Americans to continue their efforts, especially since they are in a country that is a global center of decision-making. He called for rejecting polarization and hate speech, He recommended the establishment of a Sudanese-American network to advocate for peace, with the goal of sustaining development and stability in the country and engaging with Congress and the U.S. administration. He also proposed the creation of a transparent fund to support humanitarian initiatives within Sudan, as well as a database of Sudanese living abroad who could contribute to the country’s post-war reconstruction.
