Sudan civilian alliance seeks South African help to end war
June 20, 2025 (PRETORIA) – A delegation from Sudan’s Civilian Democratic Alliance for Revolutionary Forces “Somoud”, led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday to seek support for an end to the war in Sudan, a leading member of the group said.
The meeting in Pretoria included South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, while the Somoud delegation featured Yasir Arman, head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Revolutionary Democratic Current; Babikir Faisal, head of the Unionist Alliance; former Cabinet Affairs Minister Omer Manis; and alliance spokesman Bakry Eljack.
The meeting focused on securing a humanitarian ceasefire and mobilising international support to address a crisis that has displaced nearly 15 million people, Arman said in a statement.
The group urged South Africa to use its influence within the African Union and at the United Nations to rally a unified effort to stop the conflict, which the delegation stated was an attempt to “dismantle the December Revolution and block the path to civilian democratic transition.”
For his part, Ramaphosa expressed “deep sorrow over the destruction of Sudan” and said his country would work to help end the war.
“The pursuit of peace is part of the African National Congress DNA,” Ramaphosa said, recalling Sudan’s historic support for South Africa’s struggle against apartheid.
The South African leader confirmed he was in contact with the warring parties and would engage with Sudanese, regional, and international stakeholders on the urgent need to stop the war. He stressed that efforts to end the conflict must be paired with a strategy to mobilize resources for reconstruction, saying Africa must prioritize rebuilding the country.
Ramaphosa expressed concern that the war has “devastated valuable resources” that are not easily replaced and acknowledged the presence of “foreign interference,” affirming South Africa would dedicate its full efforts to contributing to peace.
The meeting comes a week after Ramaphosa attended the G7 summit in Canada, the only African leader to be invited.
The Sudanese delegation is scheduled to continue its visit by meeting with leaders of South Africa’s governing coalition partners and members of the Sudanese anti-war community.