Spokesperson for Democratic Block: Environment Not Yet Conducive for Dialogue

Cairo – Sudanhorizon– Sabah Moussa

Dr. Mohamed Zakaria, official spokesperson for the Democratic Bloc, stated that the Bloc met yesterday, Tuesday, in Khartoum with representatives of the Quintet mechanism—comprising the African Union, the United Nations, the League of Arab States, IGAD, and the European Union.

In an exclusive statement Zakaria explained that the meeting reviewed the latest developments regarding the Sudanese dialogue. He noted that Quintet representatives posed several questions to the Bloc, including how to build bridges of trust and communication given the fragmentation of Sudanese groups across areas controlled by the Sudanese government, areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, and a third group located outside Sudan—outside either zone of control. He added that the Quintet representatives also inquired about what the mechanism could offer to foster a conducive environment and contribute to resolving the Sudanese crisis. Furthermore, they questioned the feasibility of holding a dialogue amidst on going fighting, asking whether it would be better to wait until a ceasefire is achieved before launching the dialogue. Zakaria noted that the bloc reaffirmed its vision, which is based on an inclusive dialogue excluding only those who have committed genocide, ethnic cleansing, and war crimes. He stated that the bloc’s vision envisions the dialogue proceeding in two stages—preparatory and final—explaining that the preparatory stage could be held at a mutually agreed-upon location, while the final stage would take place within Sudan. He added that the participants themselves would manage the dialogue process and noted the bloc’s welcome of the measures initiated by the President of the Transitional Sovereign Council to create a conducive environment for the participants, including the lifting of restrictions and charges.

Zakaria emphasized that the bloc welcomed these measures, as well as all initiatives and mechanisms aimed at preparing the ground for the dialogue process, provided they effectively contribute to creating a suitable climate for the talks. He explained that, in this context, the bloc believes such mechanisms must ensure the inclusion of all parties—reflecting gender, sectoral, and geographic diversity to a reasonable degree—so they can serve as effective tools for achieving the goal of creating a favorable environment. He stated that the bloc emphasized to the Quintet that the dialogue must be Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned, conducted through a purely Sudanese process, with the Quintet’s role limited to facilitation and support. He added that the bloc requested the Quintet’s support for these Sudanese dialogue efforts, noting that such support contributes to ending the war and advancing the pursuit of peace in Sudan.

Zakaria indicated that the goal of the Quintet’s visit to Khartoum is to gauge the positions of domestic political forces and assess the latest developments regarding the Sudanese dialogue—particularly in light of decisions aimed at creating a conducive environment and the formation of committees for this purpose. He emphasized that there is only one Sudanese dialogue, stressing that current activities do not constitute the launch of the dialogue itself but rather represent efforts to prepare the ground—whether those proposed by the Quintet or those currently underway domestically. He described all these efforts as part of a preparatory dialogue phase, adding that these initiatives—whether domestic or external—will ultimately culminate in the convening of a comprehensive and final Sudanese dialogue. He noted that the Quintet’s meetings would take place within the framework of this preparatory process and environment-building, highlighting a clear request from the bloc for the Quintet to support the dialogue measures currently underway inside the country.

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