Sudan’s Democratic Bloc Split Over Unauthorized Talks in Ethiopia

16 February 2026

AU High-Level Panel on Sudan meets Democratic Bloc in Cairo on March 6, 2024

February 15, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Public divisions emerged within Sudan’s Freedom and Change – Democratic Bloc on Sunday after member organizations held unauthorized meetings with international mediators in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

The “Quintuple Mechanism”—comprising the African Union, IGAD, the United Nations, the Arab League, and the European Union—is seeking to bridge the gap between Sudanese political forces to launch a process on the country’s future governance.

Democratic Bloc spokesperson Juma al-Wakil disavowed the delegation in Addis Ababa, stating the coalition “did not participate in the meeting and did not send a representative delegation.” He added that no authorization had been issued for any entity to represent the bloc in the consultations.

Al-Wakil, who is affiliated with Minni Minawi’s Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), said that if members participated, they did so in a “personal or organizational capacity” that does not reflect the official stance of the coalition.

However, the split was underscored shortly after when a second spokesperson for the bloc, Mohammed Zakaria, challenged al-Wakil’s statement. Zakaria said the remarks “do not reflect the bloc’s consensus” and were issued without following institutional procedures. He added that an official position would be released after a collective leadership meeting.

The Democratic Bloc includes several armed movements, such as the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the SLM, as well as political parties like the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

The meeting in Addis Ababa included representatives from the “National Forces” group, including figures from JEM and other factions associated with the bloc, to discuss stability and a Sudanese-led dialogue.