Democratic Bloc split over Addis Ababa dialogue as SLM-Abdelwahid joins talks

Divisions emerged within Sudan’s Democratic Bloc ahead of Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue talks in Addis Ababa, while the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW) announced its participation in the process.

The Addis Ababa meetings come amid renewed international efforts to revive a Sudanese-led political process, although divisions among Sudan’s political and armed groups continue to complicate efforts to build consensus on the country’s future.

On Tuesday, 14 political groups and leaders within the bloc, including the Democratic Unionist Party (Original), the Justice and Equality Movement, and the Beja Council led by Mohamed El Amin Turk, announced they would boycott the meetings.

In a joint statement, they criticised the procedural arrangements of the talks and accused the quintet mechanism, comprising the UN, EU, AU, IGAD and Arab League, of determining the agenda and participants without sufficient consultation with Sudanese stakeholders. 

They also rejected the participation of the Sudan Founding Alliance (Tasees), arguing that its inclusion blurred the line between political and security tracks and undermined Sudan’s sovereignty. 

The boycotting groups objected to what they described as the legitimisation of a parallel government linked to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), insisting that security issues should be addressed separately between Sudanese state institutions, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and the RSF.

However, another faction of the Democratic Bloc, including groups led by Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minawi and senior Forces for Freedom and Change–Democratic Bloc (FFC-DB) figures Mubarak Ardol and El Amin Daoud, travelled to Addis Ababa and insisted it represented the bloc’s legitimate position.

The participating faction said engagement in the talks was a political and national responsibility and described its delegation as the bloc’s only authorised representative.

At a press conference today, FFC-DB deputy chairman Ardol reaffirmed support for a political solution to Sudan’s crisis but ruled out any engagement with the Tasees alliance or the parallel government announced by its members.

“We refuse to sit with the Tasees alliance,” Ardol said, describing it as a military rather than civilian grouping. He also condemned violations in El Gezira, Khartoum, Kordofan, Darfur and El Fasher and reiterated support for Sudan’s state institutions and the SAF.

Sally Zaki, another bloc leader, called for Sudanese-led dialogue inside Sudan and warned against any arrangement that could threaten the country’s territorial integrity.

The Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW) confirmed that it had sent a high-level delegation to Addis Ababa in response to an invitation from the quintet.

The movement said participation reflected its commitment to ending the war, addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis and advancing a political solution based on the Sudanese Declaration of Principles.

SLM-AW spokesperson Mohamed Abdelrahman El Nair said the movement viewed participation as part of its national responsibility to help stop the conflict and fulfil the aspirations of the Sudanese people.