National Democratic Alliance (Sudan)

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was a broad coalition of Sudanese political parties and armed groups formed in opposition to the government of President Omar al-Bashir. Established in 1989, following the military coup that brought Bashir to power, the NDA represented a diverse range of ideologies and ethnicities united by their shared goal of regime change and the establishment of a democratic government in Sudan.

The alliance comprised groups such as the Umma Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A), and various smaller political movements, including those representing marginalized regions like Darfur and the East. Throughout the 1990s, the NDA engaged in both political and military opposition to the Bashir regime. The armed wing of the NDA, often operating from bases in neighboring Eritrea, launched periodic attacks on Sudanese government forces.

The NDA's political activities included organizing demonstrations, lobbying international organizations, and advocating for a negotiated settlement to the Sudanese conflict. Internal divisions and differing priorities among member groups often hampered the NDA's effectiveness. However, the alliance played a significant role in maintaining pressure on the Bashir government and raising awareness of human rights abuses and political repression within Sudan.

Following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, which ended the Second Sudanese Civil War between the government and the SPLM/A, some factions of the NDA entered into power-sharing arrangements with the Bashir regime. This participation led to further fragmentation within the alliance, as some members chose to continue opposing the government. The NDA's influence waned considerably in the years following the CPA, and the coalition effectively dissolved as its constituent parties pursued their individual political agendas and strategies after the independence of South Sudan in 2011. The removal of Omar al-Bashir from power in 2019 further diminished the historical relevance of the NDA as a unified opposition force.