EU-hosted Berlin summit on Sudan's post-war future proceeds despite militia boycott

An EU-hosted summit in Berlin on April 15, 2026, is focusing on Sudan's political future after three years of civil war, despite the absence of key armed groups and the Sudanese government.

Around 50 civilian politicians and civil society leaders are attending the summit, which is hosted by Germany, the African Union, the European Union, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, collectively known as the Quintet.

The Sudanese government, supported by the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), and the main militias have boycotted the meeting, citing a lack of invitation.

Former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who leads the Somoud coalition and previously headed a transitional government ousted by militia leaders now engaged in the conflict, is the most prominent attendee.

Hamdok stated that a political process addressing the root causes of the conflict is the only assured way forward, emphasizing there is no military solution to the war.

The civil war began in April 2023 between the SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), following a leadership dispute between generals Abdel Fattah al Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

Although the SAF has made recent territorial gains, partly due to reduced arms supplies to the RSF, there is no prospect of a swift end to the war.

The Quintet expressed grave concern over the continued deterioration of the situation in Sudan and highlighted that the summit aims to create a political dialogue to end the war and lay the foundations for a peaceful political transition.

It remains unclear how the absence of the main armed groups and the Sudanese government will affect the summit's outcomes and the prospects for peace in Sudan.

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