Sudan’s Democratic Bloc backs inclusive dialogue to end war
July 19, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Democratic Bloc coalition on Sunday renewed its welcome for an inclusive, intra-Sudanese dialogue aimed at ending the country’s crisis without excluding any party.
The announcement follows a June agreement in Addis Ababa, where the Democratic Bloc and the Somoud coalition aligned on a joint vision for a peace process and political dialogue. Those consultative meetings were sponsored by an international mechanism comprising the U.N., the African Union, the European Union, the Arab League, and IGAD.
Jaafar al-Mirghani, head of the Democratic Bloc, said after an emergency executive meeting in Khartoum that the coalition strongly supports an all-inclusive dialogue.
The meeting reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, and state institutions as the ultimate guarantors of national stability.
Leadership within the coalition pledged to resolve internal differences through consensus to strengthen their unified national role.
The executive body called for the immediate activation of organizational structures approved during the bloc’s conference in Port Sudan.
The alliance faced sharp internal divisions in April during the Port Sudan conference, which adopted a new charter and structure, appointing al-Mirghani as head.
The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), led by Gibril Ibrahim, who serves as the bloc’s deputy head, objected to the final statement, prompting its representatives to boycott the closing session.
Sunday’s statement welcomed the supportive role of the international community and neighbouring states, provided they respect Sudan’s national will and sovereignty.
The bloc noted that its recent diplomatic engagements in Cairo, Addis Ababa, Brussels, and Oslo have successfully advanced its vision for ending the war.
The coalition plans to sustain coordination with other political and national forces to build a broad consensus for a sustainable peace.
The Democratic Bloc consists of pro-army political factions, including al-Mirghani’s faction of the Democratic Unionist Party, as well as armed movements that fight alongside the military, such as the Sudan Liberation Movement and JEM.