Hamduk: Sudan Faces an Existential Battle 'To Be or Not to Be'

SadaNews - The former Sudanese Prime Minister and head of the "Sumud" civil alliance, Abdallah Hamduk, called on political and civil forces to rally around a clear national vision aimed at stopping the war, emphasizing that Sudan faces an "existential battle... to be or not to be," threatening the state’s existence and future. He stated that the humanitarian disaster in the country exceeds, in terms of scale and repercussions, what is happening in the Gaza Strip in Palestine, reiterating that the Sudanese crisis cannot be resolved militarily, and that a comprehensive political solution remains the only option to save the country.

Hamduk's remarks came during his speech at the opening session of the "Sudanese Forces for Declaration of Principles for Building a New Homeland" meeting held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, where he stressed the importance of consensus among civil and political forces around the goals of the political process, clarifying that this process should begin with three interrelated tracks including: the humanitarian file, a ceasefire, and then launching the political track, leading to a comprehensive and sustainable peace agreement, with a necessity to unify the efforts of regional and international mediators.

The "Nairobi Forces" meetings focus on coordinating joint action among political forces, armed movements, and civil forces, with the aim of ending the war and achieving peace and stability in Sudan. Hamduk stated that "there are many regional and international initiatives addressing the Sudanese issue, including initiatives from the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in addition to other international platforms," but he mentioned that the most important of these initiatives is the "Quartet" which includes the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and the United States, "because it laid out a clear roadmap based on 5 principles and 7 key commitments." He added that one of the key features of this initiative is its rejection to involve the parties that have "destroyed political life," referring to the Islamist groups.

Hamduk also expressed his appreciation to the neighboring countries of Sudan that have hosted millions of Sudanese refugees fleeing from the war, calling for a wide national discussion regarding the political roadmap, its goals, and the parties involved, leading to a comprehensive and credible political process. He warned that failure of civil forces to agree on a unified vision would result in external arrangements being imposed on Sudan without the will of the Sudanese people.

For his part, the head of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, Ali Al-Rayeh Al-Sennouri, confirmed that the current national priority is to stop the war and preserve the unity of Sudan, calling for the unification of civil forces to restore power to the Sudanese people, emphasizing the need to confront any schemes targeting the partition of the country. Likewise, the head of the Sudan Liberation Army, Abdul Wahid Muhammad Ahmed Al-Nur, announced his movement's readiness to reach a clear roadmap and mechanisms to stop the war, stressing the importance of addressing the historical roots of the Sudanese crisis and not settling for partial or temporary solutions.

Earlier, the "Nairobi Principles Declaration Forces" agreed on the necessity of developing the initiative and expanding the participation base to include various political and civil forces supportive of peace and stability, while excluding the isolated National Congress Party. The principles also included the emphasis on the necessity of linking the humanitarian, military, and political tracks within a single package leading to a civil democratic transition, alongside conditioning the non-participation of warring parties in post-ceasefire arrangements. Representatives from the "Sumud Alliance," the Umma Party, the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, the Sudan Liberation Movement, the Federal Gathering, and the Coordination of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Darfur, as well as the Darfur Lawyers Association, and several independent national figures participated in the meetings.