Analytical Statement | May 25, 2026
African Liberation Day (commemorating the founding of the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) on May 25, 1963) falls on Monday, May 25, this year, as the African continent undergoes profound and complex transformations. The challenges of armed conflict, democratic backsliding, and economic and humanitarian crises intersect with the enduring aspirations of African peoples for freedom, justice, sovereignty, and sustainable development. At the heart of this historical moment stands Sudan, burdened by a devastating war and widespread humanitarian collapse. This makes this occasion more than just a symbolic commemoration of Africa’s history of national liberation; it is an opportunity to re-examine the reality of the African nation-state, the limits of the regional order, and the future of rights and freedoms on the continent.
African liberation day has historically been linked to a political and moral project through which the peoples of the continent sought to dismantle colonial structures and systems of domination, racism, and exploitation, and to establish the values of independence, sovereignty, and human dignity. However, the African experience over the past decades has revealed that formal political liberation alone has not been sufficient to guarantee justice and stability, given the persistence of structural and cultural violence, the weakness of democratic institutions, the widening social gap, the escalation of armed conflicts, and the decline of the role of the civil state in many countries of the continent.
In Sudan, this crisis manifests itself in a tragic and complex manner. Since the outbreak of war, the country has entered one of the worst humanitarian and political catastrophes in its modern history, where the lives of millions of civilians have been transformed into an open arena of violence, displacement, hunger, and insecurity. The social fabric and civil institutions have also suffered profound erosion amidst escalating grave human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, sexual violence, forced displacement, repeated targeting of civilians, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the undermining of access to food, healthcare, education, and basic services.
Sudan Rights Watch Network emphasizes that what is happening in Sudan cannot be viewed as an isolated military conflict or an internal crisis separate from the African context. Rather, it is a direct reflection of deeper crises related to the nature of power, the failures of the political transition, the weakness of justice and accountability systems, and the declining effectiveness of regional and international institutions in conflict prevention and the protection of civilians. It also reveals the fragility of nation-building projects when politics is reduced to the balance of armed power, civil and social actors are marginalized, and youth and women are excluded from decision-making processes.
In this context, the network believes that defending Sudan as a society, before it is a state, is an integral part of defending the African liberation project itself. Liberation cannot be achieved amidst war, national sovereignty cannot be established in the absence of justice, and true independence cannot be spoken of while millions of Africans live under the threat of displacement, poverty, violence, and exclusion. Furthermore, the continued impunity, the normalization of political violence, and the use of ethnic and regional rhetoric in managing conflicts pose a direct threat to the concept of equal citizenship and to the future of social peace in Sudan and across the continent.
The Sudanese experience over the past years has demonstrated that young people have consistently been the most committed to the values of democratic civilian transition and the most capable of generating a national discourse that transcends narrow divisions. From the 2018 popular uprising to the present, Sudanese youth have played a pivotal role in resisting tyranny, organizing civil and humanitarian work, and defending rights and freedoms, despite the systematic repression, targeting, and violence they have faced. Therefore, any serious political process aimed at ending the war and building a sustainable peace cannot succeed without recognizing the central role of youth and empowering them to actively participate in shaping the country’s future.
Sudan Rights Watch Network also emphasizes that justice is not a matter to be postponed until after the war, but rather a fundamental prerequisite for any genuine and lasting peace. Ignoring violations, or treating them as collateral damage of the conflict, will only perpetuate cycles of violence and impunity, undermining the prospects for building a state based on the rule of law and strong institutions. From this perspective, protecting the rights of victims and survivors, ensuring legal accountability, and preserving collective memory are all indispensable pillars of any transitional justice process and the rebuilding of societal trust.
Sudan Rights Watch Network expresses its deep concern regarding the continued erosion of civic space in Sudan and across the African continent, including the targeting of human rights defenders, the suppression of independent journalism, and restrictions on freedom of assembly, expression, and humanitarian work. A free Africa cannot exist while civil society is weakened and independent voices are criminalized, as a free civil society is one of the most important guarantees for public oversight, peacebuilding, and the strengthening of democracy. Based on our human rights and ethical responsibility, the Network calls for:
- An immediate and comprehensive cessation of hostilities in Sudan, particularly against civilians, and prioritizing political solutions that place the protection of civilians at the forefront.
- Full adherence to the provisions of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and the additional protocols, and ensuring unimpeded access for humanitarian aid.
- Support for independent and effective mechanisms, such as the African Union Fact-Finding Mission and the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, to investigate all violations and serious abuses and hold those responsible accountable according to international standards of justice.
- Support for an inclusive, democratic, and civilian-led process that guarantees the equitable participation of youth and women. Displaced persons, victims, and local communities.
- Strengthening the role of the African Union and regional organizations in fulfilling their responsibilities to protect civilians and prevent the escalation of conflicts.
- Protecting human rights defenders, journalists, and humanitarian workers, and ensuring they are not targeted or harassed.
- Investing in transitional justice and community reconciliation processes as essential pathways to building sustainable peace.
We at Sudan Rights Watch Network, on this African Liberation Day, do not merely recall the past as a celebratory narrative, but as a historical and moral responsibility towards the continent’s present and future. Africa, whose people struggled against colonialism, discrimination, and racism, is now called upon to confront new forms of violence, tyranny, and exclusion, and to restore the values of human dignity, social justice, democracy, and the rule of law.
From Sudan, whose people continue to pay a heavy price for the ongoing war and the near-total collapse of the state and society, we reaffirm our commitment to the right of African peoples to freedom, peace, and justice. We believe that the future of the continent cannot be built on weapons, fear, and impunity, but rather on civic participation, respect for rights, justice, and human solidarity among peoples.
Glory to the peoples of Africa and their ongoing struggles for dignity and liberation.
Sudan Rights Watch Network
May 25, 2026