Sudanese anti-war groups meet in Ethiopia to discuss Burhan’s call for dialogue

Anti-war forces opened a 2-day meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday to discuss a call by Sudan’s Sovereignty Council chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan for dialogue, Anadolu reports.

In a statement, the National Umma Party said the meeting is organized by groups that are not affiliated with either the Sudanese army or the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

It listed the Civil Democratic Alliance of Revolutionary Democratic Forces (Sumoud), headed by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, the Popular Congress Party, and the Umma Party as among the prominent participants in the meeting.

The statement said the meeting would address developments in Sudan and national visions for achieving comprehensive peace.

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Discussions will also take up several other issues, including the efforts and roles of external mediators and Burhan’s call for dialogue, it added.

On Wednesday, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem said his country would soon launch political dialogue, noting that contacts were underway at various levels to pave the way for its launch.

Burhan said on Aug. 14 that a group of Sudanese citizens have proposed an independent national mechanism to facilitate a comprehensive Sudanese dialogue to restore peace in Sudan.

Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023 between the army and the RSF over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the regular military. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million, according to UN estimates.

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