Arab League rejects parallel government in Sudan, urges political solution
May 18, 2025 (CAIRO) -The Arab League affirmed on Sunday that any attempts to establish a parallel government in Sudan are unlegitimate, its spokesman said, underscoring a consensus reached at an Arab summit in Baghdad that called for a political solution to preserve the nation’s unity.
Ambassador Jamal Rushdi, spokesman for the Arab League Secretary-General, stated that the summit, which concluded on Saturday, expressed explicit support for Sudan’s state institutions and clearly rejected any bids to form alternative governing bodies.
“This issue has Arab consensus due to the serious threat it poses to Sudan’s unity,” Rushdi said in a special interview on Saturday on Egypt’s Al-Qahera News channel. He added that the summit’s final communiqué stressed supporting Sudan in preserving its national institutions and called for promoting a political solution through an independent, elected civilian government.
“Intensive preparatory efforts preceded the summit and resulted in the formulation of a unified vision regarding this complex file,” Rushdi noted, affirming the Sudanese crisis is a source of grave concern for the Arab League. “What was agreed upon at the summit reflects the common Arab position supporting Sudan’s unity and stability, away from divisions or parallel projects that threaten to fragment the state.”
The Arab Summit in Baghdad, which concluded on May 17, urged a political solution to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. In its final communiqué, obtained by Sudan Tribune, Arab leaders stressed “the importance of finding a political solution to stop the conflict in Sudan in a manner that preserves its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its people.”
The communiqué urged conflicting parties to engage in crisis settlement initiatives, such as the Jeddah Declaration. Saudi Arabia and the United States mediated talks in Jeddah in 2023, leading to a declaration on civilian protection, though talks were suspended in December 2023. The summit also welcomed the Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s (IGAD) call to unify platforms for resolving the Sudan crisis.
Representing Sudan at the summit, Sovereign Council member Ibrahim Jaber announced his government’s readiness to implement a roadmap presented to the United Nations. This plan includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from areas under their control, lifting the siege on El Fasher city, the return of displaced persons and refugees, and resuming the political process.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi told the summit that Sudan was at a “dangerous juncture that threatens its unity and stability, necessitating urgent action to ensure a ceasefire and preserve Sudan’s territorial integrity and institutions.” He explicitly called for the rejection of any efforts to form parallel governments.
The Rapid Support Forces, reportedly in an alliance with groups like the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, are allegedly seeking to form a parallel administration.