Several actors from the Sudanese political scene have met in Addis Ababa since last Saturday, October 21. The objection of this giga meeting is the establishment of a coalition which will be able to make concessions for a way out of the Sudanese conflict which has lasted for almost 6 months. More than 90 Sudanese political and civil society leaders gathered in the Ethiopian capital for a communion of ideas.
A Common Goal
The work which has been taking place for several days in Ethiopia is led by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok. Under the general supervision of the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), a sub-regional organization. Sudanese political parties, political-military movements, civil society, defense movements and the forces of freedom and change took part. They came together to express their exasperation against the deleterious situation that has prevailed in the country since April 15. They thus wish to create a stable democratic rule and regain power from the military to hand it over to a transitional government which will have to establish a democratic state over the long term.
The common front thus aims to a common ideal. That of regaining the power so far confiscated by the military and of initiating pressure on generals Al-Burhan and Hemedti, the two main protagonists of this war. Al Burhan is the head of an army and Hemedti leads the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). These two have been setting the country on fire for almost 6 months.
A Complicated Initiative
Like any business with common sense, there are many twists and turns. First, internally, civil society movements and political parties have suffered numerous fragmentations. Also, resistance movements are still very reluctant to form lasting unions with political parties. Other important players in the Sudanese political scene are absent. This is particularly the case of the Communist Party, the Sudan Liberation Movement/North (SPLM-N) and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM-AW).
Africa can’t wait for this conflict to find a favorable outcome. There are already more than 7 million displaced people and in need for food. Naturally the international community is absent on this front. Preoccupied with other conflicts that it considers more important.
