The African Union Commission has welcomed the launch of a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue initiative aimed at bringing together Sudanese stakeholders in efforts to end the country’s prolonged armed conflict.
The dialogue, expected to take place inside Sudan under the supervision of an independent committee of Sudanese elders, is seen by the African Union as an opportunity to bridge political and social divisions and create conditions for lasting peace and stability.
The Commission says that since the conflict erupted in April 2023, it has been working to bridge divisions among Sudanese stakeholders and promote dialogue towards building a shared national vision.
“The consultations should encompass all Sudanese civil, political, and societal stakeholders,” the Commission said, emphasizing that the process should be inclusive and genuinely owned and led by Sudanese.
The AU says the ultimate objective should be a united, sovereign and peaceful Sudan governed by legitimate civilian institutions, with one national security architecture and effective mechanisms for resolving political and social differences peacefully.
The Commission says the initiative reinforces the African Union’s roadmap for Sudan and complements the Quintet Mechanism, as efforts continue to find a political solution to the conflict.
It has also reiterated calls for the preservation of Sudan’s unity and national institutions while supporting efforts to establish a democratic state.
The news came as a force of 200 fighters has defected from Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and joined the Sudanese army, according to a report on state media on August 30,2026.
The group, which included prominent field commanders, arrived in Omdurman, west of the capital Khartoum, according to the state-run Sudan News Agency.
The force was led by Abu Bakr Hamouda Dahloop, commander of the special missions intelligence division in North Kordofan state, the agency said.
The group announced that it was joining the Sudanese army with all its equipment and was ready to take part in combat operations alongside the military and allied forces.
Sudan has been embroiled in war between the army and the RSF since April 2023. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million, according to UN and international estimates.