Africa14 August, 20262 min read
Sudan Army Chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan Holds Khartoum Talks To Set Up Dialogue Conference
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Burhan held consultations with political and civil groups to create a Sudanese dialogue conference He pledged immunity and guarantees for dialogue participants, via an independent mechanism
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Burhan seeks dialogue steps
Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan held unannounced consultations with political and civil society groups in Khartoum, agreeing on steps to create conditions for a Sudanese dialogue conference. Al Jazeera reported that the consultations included proposals to drop charges punishable by death against opposition leaders and to form a preparatory committee for the proposed conference.
The talks were framed against a war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has been ongoing since April 2023, according to Al Jazeera. In a separate report, Arab News said al-Burhan pushed for inclusive Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue as early as August, with consultations aimed at building consensus on timing, agenda, and participation structure before a final date.
Opposition doubts, immunity pledged
Al Jazeera said al-Burhan pledged temporary immunity and legal, political and security guarantees for participants in a Sudanese dialogue, with criminal proceedings against participants facing charges temporarily suspended while they take part. In the same Al Jazeera report, al-Burhan said the state would not organise the process or determine its agenda or outcomes, while also pledging that measures taken against participants would not amount to a pardon.
Demócrata reported that Sudanese opposition forces rejected al-Burhan’s internal dialogue due to mistrust of the Army, with Babikir Faisal denouncing it as a plan to consolidate the Army’s power and “install a new dictator through kidnapped civilian factions.” Demócrata also quoted Mubarak al Mahdi saying it was impossible to open a dialogue process in Sudan without international community support and rejecting the amnesty announced by al-Burhan for opponents prosecuted for alleged ties with the RSF.
Quintet talks and stakes
Al Jazeera said the Quintet—made up of the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Arab League—had attempted to secure agreement among Sudan’s competing political blocs on the structure of a proposed national dialogue, but struggled after a round of discussions began in Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa on July 29 and failed to bridge differences. Al Jazeera also reported that several political groups, including Somoud, did not attend the meetings, while Babiker Faisal accused the Quintet of retreating from understandings and described it as “no longer a neutral umbrella” for sponsoring dialogue.
Dabanga Radio TV Online said al-Burhan pledged guarantees for the planned Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue and stressed that the state would not organise the dialogue or determine its agenda or outcomes, while also clarifying that suspending proceedings against participants would not constitute a pardon. In the same Dabanga report, al-Burhan said the dialogue’s success depended on creating a wider environment where freedoms prevailed, and he described the national dialogue as not a closed process limited to those sitting around its table.