Sudan’s anti-war civilian coalition Somoud has taken its diplomatic campaign to Canada after a series of meetings in the United States aimed at building international support for ending the war and restoring civilian rule.
The visit forms part of a broader foreign tour by Sudanese civilian leaders seeking to increase pressure for a ceasefire and ensure civilian forces have a role in shaping any political process to end the conflict.
Misbah Ahmed Mohammed, head of media for the National Umma Party and a senior member of Somoud, told Erem News that the coalition’s recent diplomatic engagements marked an important development in efforts by civilian groups to reach influential international decision-makers.
He said the delegation had met senior US State Department officials, members of Congress and representatives of European and African countries during its recent visit to the United States and around the UN General Assembly.
According to Mohammed, the talks reflected growing international willingness to engage directly with Sudanese civilian forces that oppose the continuation of the war and are calling for the protection of civilians, expanded humanitarian access and a political process leading to democratic civilian government.
The delegation has now travelled to Canada, he said, with further international visits also expected as Somoud seeks broader backing for efforts to halt the fighting and revive a civilian political transition.
The Canada leg follows an intensive diplomatic campaign in New York and Washington led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
During those meetings, Somoud representatives called for an immediate humanitarian truce, stronger international pressure on the warring parties and an inclusive civilian-led political process addressing the causes of the conflict.
Mohammed said the growing international focus on Sudan presented civilian groups with an opportunity to strengthen calls for an end to the war, but also placed greater responsibility on them to develop a unified and workable political vision.
Political analyst Ammar Saeed told Erem News that Somoud’s diplomatic campaign would ultimately be judged by whether access to international decision-makers translated into meaningful political pressure to stop the fighting.
He said the coalition was seeking to convince Washington and other international partners that an independent civilian political track was necessary to prevent Sudan from returning to military-dominated government.
Saeed added that international engagement alone would not be sufficient, arguing that Somoud would also need to broaden its political base inside Sudan and present practical proposals covering a ceasefire, civilian protection and arrangements for a future transition.
Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, has triggered one of the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crises and produced competing political and military centres of power.
International mediators have increasingly pushed for a humanitarian truce followed by a wider political process involving civilian forces, though attempts to secure a lasting ceasefire have repeatedly stalled.
