Sudan: Sudan Anti-War Forces Warn UN Envoy - Burhan's Dialogue Could Entrench Division and Legitimise Ruling Authorities

What the report says

Representatives of Sudan’s Declaration of Principles forces met on Saturday in Nairobi with Pekka Haavisto, the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy to Sudan, to discuss the country’s political crisis and the effort to end the war, according to Dabanga via AllAfrica. The delegation said any political process must start with stopping the fighting and protecting civilians, warning that a dialogue that proceeds without those steps could deepen Sudan’s fragmentation and give legitimacy to de facto authorities.

The group’s main concern was not dialogue itself, but the framework proposed by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. It argued that a process launched from one side of the conflict, or one that preserves unilateral control over state institutions, would not be a genuine path out of the crisis. Instead, the forces said they want a broader political track that leads to ending the war, easing the humanitarian situation, restoring unity in state institutions and eventually forming a unified civilian government.

The delegation also briefed the envoy on developments among civilian groups opposed to the war, including what it described as growing rejection of polarization between the two sides. It referred to a consultative meeting in Addis Ababa on 22 and 23 August that it said showed increasing convergence on principles for ending the war and building a more representative process.

The statement also addressed the international Quintet, saying the anti-war forces had reservations about its approach but remained open to engagement if there is agreement on who participates, the terms of reference and safeguards for independent civilian decision-making. The meeting underscores continuing efforts by civilian actors to shape any peace process around national unity and a transition away from military rule.