Umma Party Factions Seek Neutral Venue For National Dialogue

Khartoum, August 20, 2026 - Leading Umma Party factions agreed on core principles for a national dialogue but remained split over how to handle an internal consultation initiative proposed by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

National Umma Party Secretary-General El-Wathiq El-Bereir met Mubarak al-Fadil al-Mahdi, marking a rare public rapprochement between two prominent Umma leaderships during Sudan’s wartime political fragmentation. In a joint statement, they rejected any internal dialogue under current conditions, citing ongoing fighting, territorial division and mass displacement.

The two leaders said talks should be moved to a neutral and secure venue abroad and should not be dominated by either warring party. They also called for a full cessation of hostilities and restoration of public freedoms before negotiations begin.

NUP Deputy Leader Mariam al-Mahdi welcomed the factional outreach but urged that Burhan’s initiative be treated as a political opening to demand enforceable guarantees rather than simply rejected or accepted. She called for confidence-building measures including dropping politically motivated charges, curbing military dominance in urban centres, halting incitement and establishing verified monitoring mechanisms.

The debate matters for Sudan’s transition prospects because civilian party coordination remains weak, while any credible political process will need buy-in from major national factions, inclusion of Darfur and Kordofan, and safeguards against legitimizing wartime territorial fragmentation.