Global powers urged to dismantle neocolonial arms trade networks fueling Sudan's protracted conflict at Berlin summit

Sudan's indigenous communities, particularly the Nuba, Fur, and Zaghawa, have long resisted militarization through traditional governance systems and spiritual practices that prioritize communal harmony over state violence. These systems were systematically dismantled by colonial and post-colonial regimes, yet their resilience offers models for de-escalation that top-down diplomacy ignores. The erasure of indigenous peacebuilding in favor of state-centric solutions reflects a broader pattern of epistemic violence in conflict resolution.

The current conflict in Sudan is a direct legacy of British colonial policies, including the 1922 Closed Districts Ordinance that exacerbated ethnic divisions and the 1956 Anglo-Egyptian condominium's militarized governance. Post-independence, Sudan became a battleground for Cold War proxy wars, with the US and USSR arming rival factions, a pattern that persists today with Gulf states and Russia filling the void. The 2019 ouster of Omar al-Bashir did not end the structural violence of the military-industrial complex, which has roots in the 1989 Islamist coup backed by Saudi Arabia and the Muslim Brotherhood.

In West Africa, similar conflicts (e.g., Mali, Burkina Faso) are framed as 'terrorism' while ignoring the role of French neocolonial military presence (Operation Barkhane) in fueling insurgencies. Indigenous Fulani and Tuareg communities, who have coexisted for centuries, are often scapegoated as 'jihadists' by state narratives that obscure resource conflicts. The Sudanese case mirrors these patterns, where external actors exploit local grievances to maintain control over gold and oil resources, a dynamic seen across the Sahel.

Research from the Small Arms Survey shows that 70% of weapons in Sudan originate from state stockpiles in neighboring countries, with porous borders enabling trafficking despite UN embargoes. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) documents how Gulf states (UAE, Saudi Arabia) have supplied over $3 billion in arms to Sudanese factions since 2019, contradicting claims of 'neutral' mediation. Epidemiological studies link prolonged conflict to spikes in malnutrition and disease, yet these are treated as secondary to geopolitical narratives in mainstream coverage.

Sudanese artists like Amal al-Tayeb use music and poetry to document the trauma of war, framing resistance as both political and spiritual, as seen in the 'Darfurian revolution' songs that blend Islamic and indigenous rhythms. The Sufi traditions of the Ansar and Khatmiyya brotherhoods historically mediated conflicts through rituals of reconciliation, a practice now criminalized by militant factions. Spiritual leaders in the Nuba Mountains have organized 'peace camps' where communities practice collective mourning and forgiveness, offering an alternative to state violence.

Scenario modeling by the International Crisis Group suggests that without dismantling regional arms networks, Sudan will face a 'frozen conflict' akin to Somalia or Libya, with prolonged humanitarian crises and state collapse. Alternative futures include a 'Sudanese Spring' where civil society and indigenous governance models coalesce into a federal democratic system, but this requires external actors to stop fueling militias. The rise of drone warfare and AI-driven surveillance in the region (e.g., UAE's use of Chinese drones) points to a future where conflict becomes increasingly privatized and technologically mediated.

Sudanese women, particularly those from the Darfur Women's Network, have led peace initiatives like the 'Women's Peace Tables,' yet their work is sidelined in favor of male-dominated diplomatic processes. Refugees in Chad and South Sudan, who bear the brunt of the conflict, report that arms flows are facilitated by local elites with ties to both governments and militias, a reality ignored by donor nations. The marginalization of indigenous pastoralists, who are often blamed for 'clashes' over land, reflects a broader pattern of environmental racism where climate-induced resource scarcity is weaponized.