Follow-ups|Forum of Horn Vision"HAPC"
Wednesday|June3, 2026
The Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, witnessed on Wednesday the launch of a crucial consultative summit bringing together political and civil society leaders in Sudan, under the auspices of the international five-party mechanism.
The two-day meeting clearly seeks to break the current deadlock, explore opportunities to launch a broad political dialogue that will put an end to the ongoing war, and outline a new transitional phase for the country.
The meeting halls include a remarkable representation that brings together parties with differing positions, including the Steadfastness Alliance (civilian forces) , the Democratic Bloc (allied with the Sudanese army) , and the Founding Alliance (affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces).
The main objective of this diversity is to agree on the establishment of a unified Sudanese mechanism to lead the political efforts to end the conflict.
The road to the negotiating table was not paved with roses; the sessions were preceded by complex behind-the-scenes dealings and sharp disagreements over the lists of invitees. Specifically, political parties expressed a firm objection to the inclusion of a new bloc considered to be aligned with the army camp.
This pressure prompted the ” Five-Party Mechanism ” to back down and cancel the invitation to that bloc after intensive field contacts to save the meeting.
In this context, the spokesman for “Steadfastness Alliance” confirmed that their delegation’s arrival in the Ethiopian capital came after securing clear understandings on the points of contention, explaining that the goal is to formulate a common civilian position.
On the other hand, the position of the Democratic Bloc had crucial parameters, expressed by the governor of the Darfur region and head of the Sudan Liberation Army Movement, Minni Arko Minawi.
Despite Minawi announcing the bloc’s agreement to attend, he set, in his words, clear red lines, saying : ” Any real political process must be managed from within Sudanese territory, and the role of the international community is limited to providing technical support and facilities only, and the unity of Sudan is a red line that cannot be compromised”.
According to his conditions, Minawi refused to grant the Rapid Support Forces or the ” Founding Alliance ” any political gains that would go beyond considerations of justice.
He also expressed his complete rejection of any new parallel structures or their announcement .
Front of these conditions set by Minawi, which observers describe as a confiscation of the right to citizenship and the right to negotiate, and even as a denial of the existence of the other party, the question remains: Will the engineering of the “ international quintet ” succeed in bringing these rigid conditions closer and creating a Sudanese common ground?.. The next few days will provide the answer.
