A parallel meeting took place on April 15th in Paris alongside the international humanitarian conference for Sudan at the Arab World Institute. It brought together around forty diverse actors from civil society.
Among these were women and men politicians, traditional or religious leaders, unionists, and journalists, including former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, Maryam Sadek al Mahdi representing the Umma party, and the Sultan of the Masalit community.
The Justice and Equality Movement was represented by its Secretary-General, Ahmed Mohamed Tugod Lissan. He provided an initial positive assessment of the meeting, stating, ‘The meeting was productive. Its main objective was to gather a large number of political parties to reflect on means capable of advancing the political process in Sudan. Simultaneously, this issue was discussed within the framework of a ceasefire, while addressing humanitarian concerns.’
The Secretary-General of the Justice and Equality Movement explained that discussions focused on three main axes: ‘The first: considering how to stop hostilities and the basic principles that would help the warring parties enter into a process leading to a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. The second involves considering how to agree on a political project that establishes the post-war period. The last: reflecting on how to rebuild the country after the end of the war.’
Former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok now leads Taqaddum, the coordination of democratic civil forces. Like all actors in Sudanese civil society, he emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. He thanked the international community for organizing the humanitarian conference in Paris, stating, ‘This conference comes at a time when Sudan urgently needs international support, as we are facing a catastrophic situation. It draws the world’s attention to the disaster facing Sudan, threatening the lives of millions of people. Over 20 million Sudanese are at risk of starving. This humanitarian aid conference comes at the right time. We thank France, Germany, and the European Union for organizing it.’
The former Prime Minister explained his coalition’s desire to reach as many Sudanese as possible to advance towards peace, saying, ‘We have never claimed to represent all Sudanese, but we extend our hand to all those working to end the war and restore civilian and democratic transformation. We welcome all peaceful initiatives seeking to stop the war, and we work together to mobilize the largest front to end the war. At our last meeting in Addis Ababa, we presented a political vision that includes a call for a