Democratic Bloc Spokesperson to Sudanhorizon: “We Have Not Been Notified of the Cancellation of the Addis Ababa Meetings”
Cairo – Sudanhorizon – Sabah Mousa
The official spokesperson for the Democratic Bloc, Dr. Mohamed Zakaria, said they have not yet received any formal confirmation regarding the cancellation or postponement of the Sudanese–Sudanese dialogue meetings, which were expected to be held tomorrow, Monday, in Addis Ababa.
In an exclusive statement to Sudanhorizon, Zakaria said, “We only learned from indirect sources that the meeting was postponed, but it is still unclear when the Union intends to hold these sessions.” He noted that several political forces had expressed reservations about some points related to the invitation, stressing that the Democratic Bloc will not participate in any meeting attended by the so-called ‘Foundational Government.’
He described that entity as a body made up of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) elements, saying, “We consider it a military body that must be addressed through the security track, in line with what was agreed upon in the Jeddah Agreement.”
Zakaria explained that the workshop held in Port Sudan today was an initiative of the Democratic Bloc aimed at developing a unified political vision and coordinating efforts among Sudanese forces toward a solution. He said the workshop is organized in cooperation with the French organization Promediation, adding that it represents an attempt to localize the political solution and “Sudanize” the efforts to reach a comprehensive vision to resolve the crisis.
He clarified that the organization’s role was limited to logistical support, and it did not participate in the discussion sessions, nor was it involved in the recommendations or outcomes of the workshop, which are solely directed to Sudanese stakeholders. Zakaria emphasized the importance of a national initiative led by Sudanese actors to avoid the complexities of international interference in Sudan’s internal affairs.
He further stated that the workshop would discuss international initiatives related to Sudan and aims to reach consensus positions on topics concerning the dialogue participants, including the role of mediators and facilitators, and how to deal with anti-state entities such as “Sumud.”
Zakaria acknowledged that positions among national forces remain divided, saying that “some reject any direct meetings with such groups, others insist on indirect engagement, while a few are open to direct dialogue.” He admitted there was still a distance to cover before reaching a unified stance, but expressed hope that the workshop would produce a vision for forming a preparatory committee for the Sudanese dialogue, describing it as the first step toward launching the process.
He added that the workshop would last three days — two dedicated to the Democratic Bloc and the third to discussions with other national forces.
Zakaria also welcomed any invitation to dialogue from the Sudanese government, emphasizing that communication between the Democratic Bloc and Egypt remains ongoing. “We hope that additional dialogue sessions will be held in Cairo under the auspices of the Egyptian government,” he concluded.
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