The secretary general of the civilian democratic alliance Somoud, Sadiq Al Sadiq Al Mahdi, has called for the adoption of a comprehensive political track instead of relying on military solutions, warning that the continuation of fighting threatens Sudan’s future.
Al Mahdi made the remarks during his participation in a workshop organised by the Egyptian Enterprise Centre for Policies and Strategic Studies in Cairo on 21 January 2026. The event focused on developments in the Sudan war and prospects for the period ahead.
He said the Somoud alliance supports the quartet mechanism plan aimed at ending the war, stressing the need to activate it as a framework capable of restoring a political process. He added that unifying civilian forces is a key step towards building a national project that addresses the root causes of the crisis.
Al Mahdi attributed the current crisis to the absence of long term national consensus, saying the conflict reflects a clash between civilian democratic aspirations and military authoritarian tendencies, as well as persistent tensions between the centre and marginalised regions. He said exclusionary policies pursued by the former regime contributed significantly to deepening the causes of the conflict.
He outlined the principles underpinning Somoud’s vision for ending the war, noting that an accurate diagnosis of the crisis is essential to reaching workable solutions. He also reaffirmed the alliance’s openness to various initiatives aimed at stopping the fighting, arguing that the quartet plan offers a suitable foundation for supporting a political transition.
Al Mahdi also discussed the alliance’s proposal to form a preparatory committee for a Sudanese dialogue conference tasked with setting the foundations of the political process. He said the committee would include a range of civilian forces, including the Democratic Bloc and Ta’sis, while excluding the dissolved National Congress Party, the Islamic Movement, and their affiliated fronts.
He stressed the alliance’s rejection of any power sharing arrangements based on quotas, calling instead for a peace process centred on development and improved public services. He added that Somoud is holding direct contacts with both sides of the conflict to push them towards negotiations, while emphasising the need to separate political forces from the military institution.
The workshop featured three sessions, the first focusing on the Egyptian perspective with participation from diplomats and researchers. The second examined differing Sudanese positions, while the third presented a joint summary of the discussions.
The workshop concluded with recommendations to activate the quartet plan, strengthen coordination among civilian forces, and closely monitor regional and international developments in support of efforts to end the war and reach a comprehensive political settlement, according to media.
