Sudan’s Popular Congress, SLM-AW agree to broaden talks on ending war

September 14, 2026 (ADDIS ABABA) – Sudan’s Islamist Popular Congress Party (PCP) and the Sudan Liberation Movement faction led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) agreed on Monday to broaden talks aimed at ending the country’s civil conflict and backing civilian peace efforts.

The agreement followed talks in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa between a PCP delegation and al-Nur, marking the latest in a series of contacts between the historically opposed groups.

War erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, driving millions from their homes and triggering what the United Nations describes as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

In a joint statement, the PCP and the rebel movement said Sudan’s crisis stemmed from decades of state failure and structural imbalances rather than a sudden emergency.

They called for comprehensive, transparent negotiations to achieve root-and-branch political change rather than piecemeal ceasefires.

Both sides stated that an inclusive, intra-Sudanese process must form the basis of any durable settlement, while explicitly barring the dissolved National Congress Party of ousted autocrat Omar al-Bashir and its allied fronts.

They declared support for anti-war civilian groups seeking an end to fighting and working toward a stable democratic transition.

The meeting reviewed previous discussions, including a recent video conference between al-Nur and PCP leader Ali al-Haj Mohamed, who remains abroad.

Discussions focused on contentious political matters and the future governance of post-war Sudan.

Both factions agreed to advance a proposed draft titled the “Sudanese Declaration of Principles toward Building a New Homeland,” aiming to expand it into an inclusive civilian platform to help stop the fighting.

They added that resolving the conflict requires confronting past mistakes and establishing a state founded on equal citizenship.