The war in Sudan between General al-Burhan’s army and General Hemedti’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been ongoing since April 15, 2023. Nearly six months later, various Sudanese political actors have gathered in Addis Ababa to attempt to regain the initiative that has been seized by the military.
Several Sudanese political forces not directly involved in the conflict in their country have been convened in Addis Ababa since Saturday, October 21. The meetings, presided over by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, are being held under the auspices of the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a sub-regional organization.
These gatherings bring together around 90 participants representing various groups, including the Forces for Freedom and Change, politico-military movements, political parties, resistance committees, and various civil society movements. The goal of these forces is to regain the initiative that has been seized by the military.
However, forming a broad civilian front is no easy task, as political parties and military movements have been weakened by internal divisions. The meetings that began on Saturday were briefly suspended before resuming on Monday morning.
In any case, these meetings mark the return of the African Union to this crisis after six months of war in Sudan, at a time when the international community appears to be preoccupied with other conflicts around the world.