Democratic Bloc splits over participation in swiss workshop
October 31, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – The Democratic Bloc alliance has split over participation in a workshop in Switzerland organized by the French organization Promediation.
A statement was issued bearing the signatures of political forces and movements within the Democratic Bloc, rejecting participation in the Swiss workshop due to the attendance of the ‘Sumoud’ (Steadfastness) coalition. However, the Democratic Bloc’s spokesperson, Mohamed Zakaria, said in a press circular that the statement only represents the organizations that signed it.
The signatures of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Minni Arko Minnawi and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) – Original (Jafar al-Mirghani faction) did not appear on the rejection statement.
“Several media outlets circulated a statement about the Democratic Bloc’s participation in the Nyon, Switzerland workshop,” Zakaria continued. “I would like to clarify that the statement was not issued by the Democratic Bloc, but rather expresses the views of the organizations that signed it.”
Ten organizations within the Democratic Bloc signed the statement, declining the invitation extended to the Bloc to participate in the Nyon workshop.
Meanwhile, El Tijani Sisi, head of the National Movement Forces Alliance, and Mubarak Ardol, head of the Democratic Alliance for Social Justice, both confirmed their participation in the workshop.
The statement rejecting participation was signed by: the Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Gibril Ibrahim; the Supreme Council of Beja Nazirates and Independent Chieftaincies in Eastern Sudan, led by Mohamed al-Amin Turk; the Sudan Liberation Movement – Transitional Council (a splinter from Al-Hadi Idris); and the Sudan Liberation Movement – Mustafa Tambour command.
Also signing the rejection were the Unionist Party – Revolutionary Front, led by Al-Tom Hajo; the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) – Leadership Council; the Revolutionary Awakening Council; the Sudanese Alliance; the Civil Gathering – Eastern Sudan; and the ‘Together We Save a Nation’ bloc.
These organizations said in their statement that the Bloc’s presidential council did not reach a consensus in its meeting to participate in the workshop.
The signatory organizations affirmed their refusal to sit directly with the ‘Sumoud’ coalition, describing it as a “political ally of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under the agreement signed between them on January 2, 2024, in Addis Ababa.”
The Democratic Bloc is known to support the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in its war against the RSF, and movements within the Bloc are fighting alongside the army.
The organizations added in their statement that sitting with ‘Sumoud’ would only occur “in the context of a final Sudanese dialogue with the participation of all Sudanese,” and only “after creating a suitable climate… and fulfilling confidence-building requirements.”
The signatory organizations affirmed their “firm commitment to a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue that includes all national forces, excluding those who committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.”
They called for all efforts to be directed towards “confronting the RSF and its allies, and facing the crimes of killing and dragging (of bodies) it commits against innocent civilians in El Fasher and other areas of Sudan,” according to the statement.
The French organization Promediation has facilitated several workshops for Sudanese parties, focusing on arranging a political process to bring the Sudanese parties together.