In a clandestine move aimed at fostering national unity, Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has held confidential talks with political and civil society groups in Khartoum. The discussions have resulted in an agreement on measures to create conducive conditions for a Sudanese dialogue conference, including the withdrawal of capital punishment charges against opposition leaders and the formation of a preparatory committee for the proposed meeting. The consultations also focused on halting negative media campaigns and suspending death penalty charges against several opponents of the army-led Transitional Sovereignty Council. These talks come amid ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023. The participants have agreed on the importance of selecting an independent, widely accepted preparatory committee to determine the attendees, agenda, venue, and date of the conference, as well as inviting international and regional parties to monitor it. While the Quintet – comprising the United Nations, African Union, European Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and Arab League – has been attempting to broker an agreement among Sudan's competing political blocs, its efforts have so far proven unsuccessful. The latest round of talks, which began in Addis Ababa on July 29, failed to bridge differences among Sudanese parties over arrangements for the conference. Several political groups, including Somoud, did not attend the meetings, accusing the Quintet of retreating from previous understandings and no longer acting as a neutral sponsor of dialogue. The army leadership is alleged to be exploiting military developments to launch a superficial political process aimed at enhancing its legitimacy, regaining regional and international recognition, and forming institutions loyal to it. The Quintet has vowed to continue efforts towards advancing Sudan's political process through renewed consultations with civilian forces and stakeholders, seeking to narrow differences and reach common ground that could pave the way for a Sudanese-led political settlement.