Sudan’s rival leaders push competing visions as El Burhan calls for national dialogue

Sudan’s rival leaders used Eid El Adha speeches to promote sharply competing visions for the country’s future, as political forces reacted to a new call for dialogue amid the continuing war.

Sovereignty Council President and Commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan announced plans for what he described as a comprehensive Sudanese-Sudanese political dialogue inside the country.

In his Eid address, El Burhan said the process would include all national forces except those “whose hands are stained with the blood of the Sudanese people”.

He said the dialogue aimed to lay the foundations for national reconstruction, end Sudan’s recurring crises, and pave the way for a democratic civilian transition. El Burhan also rejected what he described as externally imposed solutions, saying Sudanese people would not accept the outcomes of “conferences and dialogues of foreign capitals”.

The announcement comes days before talks backed by the African Union, United Nations, European Union, Arab League, and IGAD are due to begin on June 3 with the participation of several political groups.

El Burhan claimed Khartoum was “recovering” and praised popular support for the SAF, vowing to continue military operations against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Political reactions to the initiative quickly exposed deep divisions.

Dr Jibril Ibrahim, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader and Minister of Finance welcomed the proposal and described intra-Sudanese dialogue as the best path towards a just and sustainable peace. The movement insisted that any political settlement must respect Sudan’s sovereignty and reject foreign interference.

JEM also warned against any fragile humanitarian truce that could allow the RSF to regroup militarily, stressing that any ceasefire must follow the framework of the Jeddah Declaration and include the withdrawal of RSF fighters from cities and residential areas.

Sudanese Congress Party leader Omar El Digair criticised El Burhan’s speech, saying calls for political dialogue could not succeed alongside the rhetoric of war and exclusion. He argued that Sudan could only rebuild through a peaceful and inclusive political settlement.

Governor of Darfur, Minni Arko Minawi, set conditions for any political process, including preserving Sudan’s unity and sovereignty, ending foreign interference, ensuring the safe return of displaced people and refugees, and holding perpetrators of atrocities accountable. He specifically cited alleged genocide and violations in El Geneina, Zamzam Camp, and El Fasher.

Hatim El Sir of the Democratic Unionist Party-Original (DUP-Original) welcomed El Burhan’s call and declared the party ready to participate. He said Sudan urgently needed broad national dialogue to reunite political forces and prepare for free and fair elections.

In a separate Eid speech, RSF Commander Gen Mohamed ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo appealed to neighbouring countries and the international community to support what he described as projects aimed at building a “new Sudan”.

Hemedti accused the Islamic Movement and the armed forces of igniting the war and monopolising power for decades. He said the conflict represented a struggle between “tyranny, violence and corruption” and a competing national project based on freedom, justice, equal citizenship, and sustainable peace.

The RSF leader said the vision of the Sudan Founding Alliance (Tasees) extended beyond ending the war to addressing the root causes of Sudan’s crises, including governance, justice, wealth-sharing, and development.

He also pledged to prioritise displaced people and refugees, promising to continue providing food, water, and basic services while working towards their safe return home.