Hamdok leads South Africa tour as Sudan’s foreign ministry denounces delegation

The newly formed Sumoud (meaning resilience in Arabic) coalition, led by former Prime Minister Dr Abdalla Hamdok, launched a regional launched a regional diplomatic tour in South Africa to rally support for ending the war in Sudan. The trip has sparked backlash from Sudan’s Foreign Ministry, which accuses the group of seeking political cover for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following what it described as “military defeats”.

Sumoud met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the presidential palace in Pretoria, on Thursday. South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola also attended.

Hamdok urged South Africa to use its regional influence to support peace efforts, describing the Sudanese war as “one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters”.

Ramaphosa expressed deep concern and pledged diplomatic support for peace and reconstruction, drawing on South Africa’s own post-apartheid experience.

In Johannesburg, the delegation met leaders of the South African Communist Party, who pledged solidarity with the Sudanese people. They also held talks with former President Thabo Mbeki, presenting Sumoud’s vision and roadmap to end Sudan’s conflict.

On Sunday, the group met with the ruling African National Congress (ANC), led by Deputy Secretary General Nomvula Mokonyane. The ANC agreed to form a joint working group to coordinate support for Sudan. The delegation also met the Sudanese community in Pretoria to outline the coalition’s strategy and gather feedback.

Sudan government response

Sudan’s Foreign Ministry issued a harsh statement, describing Sumoud as a political front for regional backers of the RSF. It accused the alliance of sidelining other national forces and deepening political divisions.

The Ministry also condemned the January 2024 Addis Ababa Declaration, signed with the RSF by Sumoud’s predecessor, the Tagaddum coalition, which later fractured following the widely condemned charter in Nairobi, that proposed a rival governing body in RSF-controlled areas.

A faction that split from Tagaddum after the Nairobi Charter, now led by El Hadi Idris, went on to launch the Tasees (Sudan Founding Alliance), which includes the RSF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North, led by Abdulaziz El Hilu.

The Ministry warned it would reassess Sudan’s relations with African states based on what it described as “national legitimacy”. Sumoud, however, maintains it remains neutral in the conflict and is committed to an inclusive political solution.