مرفق ترجمة عربية للبيان، يمكنكم الاطلاع عليها والتوقيع أسفل الصفحة. كما يمكنكم تنزيلها ومشاركتها

We condemn in the strongest terms Ministerial Decision No. (22) of 2026 issued by Sudan’s de facto Ministry of Human Resources and Social Welfare, which establishes a committee to “study and audit” federal government employees and prepare recommendations to reduce the public sector workforce.

This is not administrative reform. It is a political attack on workers, public services, and democratic rights, carried out under the cover of war and economic collapse.

Since the outbreak of the counter-revolutionary war for power, wealth, and control of Sudan on 15 April 2023, Sudan has been plunged into catastrophic devastation. The war is being fought between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the former Islamist regime on one side, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the other, following their joint overthrow of Sudan’s civilian government in the 2021 coup. Fuelled by regional and imperialist interests competing for influence, resources, and strategic control, the war has become a direct assault on the aspirations of the historic 2018 Revolution, when workers, women, youth, neighbourhood resistance committees, and revolutionary forces overthrew the dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir.

Hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions displaced. Public services, infrastructure, workplaces, farms, and markets have been devastated, driving hunger, displacement, and social collapse. Workers and pensioners are enduring impossible conditions. Public sector workers across education, healthcare, and the civil service have repeatedly faced attacks on wages and conditions, while incentives, entitlements, and pensions remain unpaid. Instead of protecting livelihoods and rebuilding services, the de facto authorities are now threatening mass dismissals.

This decision evokes one of the darkest chapters in Sudan’s modern labour history. Following the 1989 coup, the former Islamist regime implemented systematic “public interest dismissal” policies that dismantled the civil service and removed more than 600,000 workers between 1989 and 1991, replacing them with politically loyal cadres. These purges destroyed trade union organisation, weakened public institutions, and entrenched dictatorship.

Today, the same methods are returning under new language: “administrative reform”, “workforce reduction”, and “auditing employees”.

Decision No. (22) of 2026 violates international human rights and labour law, including Article 23(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Articles 2(2), 6(1), and 7(a) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and Article 22(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees freedom of association and trade union rights.

It also stands in direct contradiction to the principles of the international trade union movement and the constitution of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), which commits the global labour movement to defend workers’ rights, oppose anti-union repression, uphold collective bargaining and freedom of association, and fight for decent work, social protection, and equality.

Despite the war, destruction, and repression facing Sudan, Sudanese workers have continued to show internationalist solidarity with workers in Britain and across the world. This has included the Sudanese Bin Workers’ message to the striking Birmingham bin workers and the Sudanese Workers Alliance for the Restoration of Trade Unions and the Alliance for Demand-Based Campaigns (TAM) in their message to British unions at the TUC Congress 2024. They continue to stand alongside workers everywhere in the fight against exploitation, austerity, racism, war, and authoritarianism.

The formation of committees to reduce public sector employment—coming after the unlawful Decision No. (9) of 2026 dissolving legally established trade unions formed since the beginning of the Sudanese Revolution in 2018, and amid the continued repression of independent trade union activity—raises grave concerns that this process is not about reform, but about political exclusion and renewed empowerment. It threatens to turn state institutions once again into instruments of patronage and control, organised around political loyalty rather than competence, workers’ rights, or public need.

This decision is therefore politically illegitimate, morally indefensible, and legally void. Issued by an authority lacking democratic legitimacy and constitutional basis, it serves not reform but renewed empowerment, exclusion, and social control. It uses the cover of war and economic collapse to dismantle the civil service, restore old regime trade unions, silence voices demanding accountability, and push workers out of public life. That is why we reject it outright.

At a time when workers and pensioners are struggling to survive war, inflation, displacement, and violence, targeting employment is an attack not only on livelihoods, but on Sudan’s remaining public institutions themselves.

The civil service belongs to the Sudanese people. It is not a prize to be divided among forces of war and power.

A statement issued by the Trade Unions Front—which includes the Preliminary Committee of Sudan Doctors’ Trade Union, the Sudanese Teachers Committee, the Steering Committee of the Sudanese Engineers’ Union, the University of Bahri Lecturers’ Union, the University of Nyala Lecturers’ Union, the Atomic Energy Workers’ Union, the Sudanese Dramatists Syndicate, the University of Khartoum Lecturers’ Union, the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (currently suspended), and the Steering Committee of the Lawyers’ Union—has also been attached in both English and Arabic in support of this appeal.

Download a PDF version of this statement here

The following signatories have added their names in support of this statement. This list will be updated regularly as new signatories are added.

Name	Trade union/ organisation	Role	Solidarity Message
Fran Heathcote	Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)	General Secretary
Paul W. Fleming	Equity	General Secretary
Dyfrig Jones	University and College Union (UCU)	President
Maria Chondrogianni	University and College Union (UCU)	Past President
Daniel Kebede	National Education Union (NEU)	General Secretary
Louise Regan	National Education Union (NEU)	National Executive member, NEU Chair, NEU International Committee
Adnan Al-Saffar	General Federation of Iraqi Workers	General Secretary	We extend our full solidarity and unwavering support to the workers of our brotherly Sudan in their struggle for their rights and in defence of their interests. كل الدعم والتاييد لنضال عمال السودان الشقيق في كفاحهم من اجل ضمان حقوقهم ومصالحهم
United Tech & Allied Workers (UTAW)	United Tech & Allied Workers (UTAW)
Portsmouth Trades Council	Portsmouth Trades Council
General Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions in Iraq	General Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions in Iraq
Rania Obead	Sudan Uprising Support Group	member
Hiba Baidoun		Activist
Mohameed Aloosh	Palestinian Labor Struggle Union
Zainab Ibrahim
Marie Debs	Wardah Boutros	President
Hanan Noori	National Centre for Research	Joint Steering Committee
Aaza Hassan	DBA	Gender Officer Secretary
Nahla Sayadi	Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT)	Secrétaire générale adjointe
Intisar Ibrahim	West London college	Learning support assistance	My support is extremely أُعبّر عن دعمي الكامل
Ahmed Mohamednoor Hamid	SHRN	Member	We are here to support you نحن هنا لدعمكم
Alex Marshall
Joy Grayson	Unite	Member
JUNAID KHAN
Othailat Suliman	Sudanese Journalists Forum	Chair person	We stand in solidarity with Sudanese workers and professionals who face the consequences of an unjust war against civilians. These civilians face displacement, impoverishment through dispossession and loss of savings (due to pillaging and looting), and loss of income (due to government freeze on wages). This, at a time of unprecedented hikes in food commodity prices, and a break down in all public services, including healthcare. نقف متضامنين مع العمال والمهنيين السودانيين الذين يواجهون تداعيات حربٍ ظالمة شُنّت على المدنيين. فهؤلاء المدنيون يعانون من النزوح، والإفقار نتيجة نهب ممتلكاتهم ومدخراتهم، وفقدان مصادر دخلهم بسبب تجميد الحكومة للأجور. ويأتي ذلك في ظل ارتفاع غير مسبوق في أسعار السلع الغذائية، والانهيار شبه الكامل للخدمات العامة، بما في ذلك خدمات الرعاية الصحية
Manuchehr Maleki-Dizaji	South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group-SYMAAG	Member	We believe a solidarity between all freedom seekers. نؤمن بالتضامن بين جميع الساعين إلى الحرية
Wafa Abdullah			A workers’ union must be established to safeguard workers’ rights, protect their interests, and remain independent and impartial in the future. يجب انشاء اتحاد للعمال لضمان حقوقهم وحمايتهم وان يكون الاتحاد مستقبلا ومحايدا
Omer Othman		Teacher	No to dismissals. No to “public interest” dismissals. No to the denial of workers’ rights. لا للفصل من الخدمة. لا للفصل للصالح العام ، لا لهضم حقوق العاملين
Soufi Ahmed	Sundanese Engineers TU.	Secretary	Viva Sudanese labors عاش العمال السودانيون
Yousif AHMED
Yousif AHMED
Omer Idries		Syndicate	Full solidarity with workers everywher كل التضامن مع العمال في كل مكان
Shadia Hassan	Mansam
Salwa Saeed	The Sudanese Lawyers Democratic Front		Full solidarity with Sudanese workers in their struggle against dismissals, displacement, and the suppression of freedoms. كامل التضامن مع العمال السودانيين. ضد الفصل والتشريد وكبت الحريات
Altaher Oxylen		Trade Unionist	Let us stand together against the dismissal of workers and trade unionists. لنقف ضد فصل العمال والنقابيين
Ali Ahmad			Just go a head واصلو نضالكم
Ibrahim Alnimma
Hind Bashier		Activist	Stop attack on Sudanese workers أوقفوا الهجوم على العمال السودانيين
Ali Hajoo	Blue Nile Civil Society Initiative		Full solidarity with all workers and with the Sudanese people as a whole, who are enduring devastating humanitarian conditions because of the war. كامل التضامن مع جميع العمال والشعب السوداني عامه الذي يعيش اوضاع انسانية قاهرة بسبب الحرب
Abdelmalik Hashim	SDU	Member	Stop the attacks on Sudanese workers – oppose mass dismissal and political purges. Our solidarity with all Sudanese who faciling war, famine and displacement and hardships أوقفوا الهجمات على العمال السودانيين – لا للتسريح الجماعي والفصل السياسي. نقف بكل تضامننا مع الشعب السوداني بأسره في مواجهة الحرب والمجاعة والنزوح والظروف الإنسانية القاسية
Limia Eltaher
Elsadig Masaad			The revolution continues. الثورة مستمرة
Maxine Bowler	Unite NE403/5	Branch sec
Rita Ludford			I stand in Solidarity with my Sudanese brothers and sisters أعلن تضامني الكامل مع إخوتي وأخواتي السودانيين
Michaela Loebner	National Education Union (NEU)		Solidarity to you all!! تضامننا الكامل معكم جميعًا
Charlie Kimber	Unite	Member
Claire Hancock	To		The world is watching. You are not alone العالم يقف شاهدًا، وأنتم لستم وحدكم
Daire Cumiskey	SUTR – Stand Up To Racism
Andy Reid	Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)/G&BTUC	Branch Delegate
Marlene Hutchinson	Unite		✊ ✊
Sarah Mudd	Free Mumia Abu Jamal Campaign, UK		International solidarity to people who are in the frontline of struggle is so important and the very least those of us in the imperialist countries must offer. Wishing you courage and hope. إن التضامن الدولي مع الشعوب التي تقف في الخطوط الأمامية للنضال أمر بالغ الأهمية، وهو أقل ما يمكن أن نقدمه نحن الذين نعيش في البلدان الإمبريالية. نتمنى لكم الشجاعة والأمل
Tony Staunton	UCU/CND	Vice Chair
Michael Lionel	Communication Workers Union (CWU)	Union rep
Waleed Elgadi	Equity	Actor
Peter Ashan	Unison	Member
Roxanne Chappell	Unite
Rajith Perera	Socialist Workers Party		The workers united will never be defeated. Solidarity. العمال المتحدون لا يُهزمون أبدًا. كل التضامن
Alice Clark			We are with you in solidarity. Free Sudan! نحن معكم متضامنون. السودان حرّ
John Rees	Unite community		La luta continua ✊ النضال مستمر ✊
Christian Hogsbjerg	UCU	Branch secretary	Solidarity forever التضامن إلى الأبد
Sue Caldwell	Trafford Trades Council	Secretary
Annie Bevis	Unite Community	Member	You are going through a horrible war where your people have been terrorised, tortured, and decimated, especially your women and your invasion was linked to the Palestine’s invasion and extermination at the hands of the Israeli IDF as obviously your tyrants work hand in hand with Israel. أنتم تمرّون بحربٍ مروّعة تعرّض فيها شعبكم للإرهاب والتعذيب والقتل والتدمير، ولا سيما النساء من بينكم. كما أن غزو بلادكم ارتبط بغزو فلسطين ومحاولة إبادتها على يد جيش الاحتلال الإسرائيلي، إذ إن طغاتكم يعملون، بشكل واضح، جنبًا إلى جنب مع إسرائيل
Matthew Lee	UCL UNISON	Young Members Officer
yvan cormier-Scott
Sam Gurney
Clara Paillard	Unite the Union	Branch Secretary
Megan Stalham
Stephen Guy	Unite the Union	Acticist	Keep up the struggle Comrades! واصلوا النضال أيها الرفاق
Anna Prall	Equity
Ali Turkmen	Unite	Equality Steward	Solidarity with Sudan people كل التضامن مع الشعب السوداني ✊✊
John Savage	UCU	Retired union member, City Cllr	The decision for mass dismissals is in direct contravention of international human rights law. It must cease. إن قرار الفصل الجماعي يتعارض بشكل مباشر مع القانون الدولي لحقوق الإنسان. يجب إيقافه
Bob Copeland	St Mary’s Church, Kingswood	Church Warden	We pray for and end to the violence and oppression of the Sudanese people. نصلّي من أجل وضع حدٍّ للعنف والاضطهاد الواقع على الشعب السوداني
Louise Walton	Unite Community		Solidarity with your struggle from Eastbourne UK. نرسل تضامننا مع نضالاتكم من مدينة إيستبورن في المملكة المتحدة
Miguel Saona-Vallejos	UCU-MMU	LGBT+ Officer
Zoe Littlewood	Unite the union	Member
Dave Auger	uNISON	Regional international officer
Claire Miller	UNISON Greater Manchester Mental Health Branch	Branch Secretary
CLAIRE BILLINGER	Unite
Peter Pyne	Bfawu	Full time officials	What ever it takes to fight for freedom and to work with dignity مهما تطلّب الأمر، سنناضل من أجل الحرية والعمل بكرامة
Nadia Edmond	UCU	Retired member
Gillian Pardesi
Alder Tree
Mike Vaughan	UNISON	Branch Secretary	Solidarity with all oppressed workers and citizens!! كل التضامن مع جميع العمال والمواطنين المضطهدين
Alf’ Meakin	E.ON Next / Unison	Metering Specialist
Miriam Scharf	National Education Union (NEU)	International Solidarity Officer	Sending solidarity in your brave struggle against those in power. نرسل لكم تضامننا في نضالكم الشجاع ضد أصحاب السلطة
Malcolm Lyons	Unison	None
Walter Tavener	Unite the union	Branch Chair	Solidarity forever will get results. التضامن الدائم سيؤتي ثماره
Ameena Rahman
Julie Webster	Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)	.
Richard Dillon	Unite/Community	Retired
Jed Murray	Unison	Branch secretary	We stand in unwavering solidarity with Sudanese workers and trade unions in rejecting Ministerial Decision No. (22) of 2026. This is not reform—it is an attack on jobs, trade union rights, public services, and democratic freedoms. Amid war, displacement, and economic collapse, workers should be protected, not punished. We condemn any return to politically motivated dismissals and call for the defence of wages, pensions, and an independent civil service. Sudan’s public institutions belong to its people, not to those seeking power through war and repression. نقف بتضامنٍ راسخ مع العمال والنقابات العمالية في السودان في رفضهم للقرار الوزاري رقم (22) لسنة 2026. فهذا القرار ليس إصلاحًا، بل هو هجوم على الوظائف، والحقوق النقابية، والخدمات العامة، والحريات الديمقراطية. وفي ظل الحرب والنزوح والانهيار الاقتصادي، ينبغي حماية العمال لا معاقبتهم. وندين أي عودة إلى الفصل التعسفي ذي الدوافع السياسية، وندعو إلى الدفاع عن الأجور والمعاشات والخدمة المدنية المستقلة. فالمؤسسات العامة في السودان ملكٌ للشعب السوداني، وليست لمن يسعون إلى السلطة عبر الحرب والقمع
Ben Maidment	Socialist Workers Party	Member
Nina Barbosa	Unite the Union	Workplace Rep
Christopher Price	Unison	Member
Bjarke Friborg	DM Danish Association of Masters and PhDs	Shop Steward
Helen Field	Unite community	Chair	Solidarity in your dreadful struggle نقف معكم بكل تضامن في نضالكم الصعب ✊✊✊
Penny Foskett	National Education Union (NEU)	International officer	Solidarity from teachers in the NEU in Hampshire with workers in Sudan facing sackings and purges. كامل التضامن من معلمي نقابة المعلمين البريطانية في مقاطعة هامبشاير مع العمال في السودان الذين يواجهون الفصل والتسريح
Jennifer Agricola	IW PSC	Activist	Standing in solidarity, keep up the fight نقف متضامنين معكم، واصلوا النضال
Pippa Dowswell	National Education Union (NEU)	Joint Secretary, Islington	Solidarity from Islington NEU in London. كل التضامن من معلمي نقابة المعلمين البريطانية في منطقة إيسلينجتون، مدينة لندن
Hossam el-Hamalawy	Egyptian Revolutionary Socialists	Spokesperson
Sarah Bolton	National Education Union (NEU)	District assistant secretary	South East Hampshire NEU sends solidarity to our Sudanese bothers and sisters. تبعث نقابة المعلمين البريطانية في جنوب شرق مقاطعة هامبشاير كل تضامنها إلى إخوتنا وأخواتنا السودانيين
Magfi Ahmef
Jim Schofield	National Education Union (NEU)	Organising Forum Member	Solidarity!! متضامنون معكم
Jeannie Robinson	UNITE	Branch Chair	Hands off our sisters and brothers in Sudan. ارفعوا أيديكم عن أخواتنا وإخوتنا في السودان
Fay Turner
mark sage	UNISON	Member	Public sector workers and trade unionists are the ones who will rebuild Sudan after the generals and warmongers have destroyed it Solidarity forever إن عمال القطاع العام والنقابيين هم من سيعيدون بناء السودان بعد أن دمّره الجنرالات ودعاة الحرب. التضامن دائمًا وأبدًا
Andrew Copeland	Bectu		Not one human born should suffer a fraction of what you have. If there is any strength in solidarity, then I send you my all. لا ينبغي لأي إنسان وُلد على هذه الأرض أن يعاني ولو جزءًا بسيطًا مما عانيتموه. وإذا كان للتضامن أي قوة، فأنا أبعث لكم كل ما أملك من دعم
Ibtisam Ahmed
Floyd Codlin	Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)		Solidarity to you all كامل التضامن معكم جميعا
Fada Muhammad
Teresa MacKay	Unite	Branch secretary
Cheryl Rounsaville	Nottingham Stand Up To Racism	Social Media Officer	Please take care. We support you! احرصوا على سلامتكم. نحن معكم وندعمكم
Michael Holland	National Education Union (NEU)	Assistant Secretary Lambeth NEU
Rafela Fitzhugh	National Education Union (NEU)	Teacher
Irm Nunwa
Katherine Mahony	Royal college of nursing	Nurse
Robyn Mcsharry
miranda rivers			Keep up the fight. Thank you for inspiring us. واصلوا النضال. شكرًا لكم على إلهامنا
David Hofberg	National Education Union (NEU)	President, South East Hampshire District
Claire Marshall	Unite
Molly Robinson	Unite	Workplace rep
Gary Gray	The Communication Workers Union (CWU)	Branch Political Officer
Huey Walker	Unite	Workplace representative
Andrew Maddern	Unite	Workplace rep
Fada Muhammad
Teresa MacKay	Unite	Branch secretary
Michael Holland	National Education Union (NEU)	Assistant Secretary Lambeth NEU
Rafela Fitzhugh	National Education Union (NEU)	Teacher
Irm Nunwa
Katherine Mahony	Royal college of nursing	Nurse
Robyn Mcsharry
David Hofberg	National Education Union (NEU)	President, South East Hampshire District
Claire Marshall	Unite
Molly Robinson	Unite	Workplace rep
Gary Gray	The Communication Workers Union (CWU)	Branch Political Officer
Huey Walker	Unite	Workplace representative
Andrew Maddern	Unite	Workplace rep
Phil Smart	UNITE WM		أعلن تضامني مع العمال السودانيين في تصديهم للقرار رقم (22) ولحملة التطهير السياسي التي تستهدف الوظائف والأجور والحقوق. وفي ظل الحرب والمعاناة، يجسد صمودكم الدفاع عن الخدمة المدنية والحريات الديمقراطية وروح ثورة ديسمبر 2018. إن نضالكم عادل ومهم، ولستم وحدكم
Hewat Beukes	Workers Party of Namibia		Building international organisation of the working-class and solidarity is the only way forward to confront the elaborate attacks on the working people, the method of imperialists to use class collaboration against them. Namibian socialist revolutionaries stand in solidarity with the Sudanese working class and poor peasants. إن بناء تنظيمٍ أممي للطبقة العاملة وتعزيز التضامن الأممي هو السبيل الوحيد لمواجهة الهجمات المنظّمة التي تستهدف الكادحين، والتي تستخدم فيها القوى الإمبريالية سياسة التعاون الطبقي لإضعاف نضالاتهم. ويعلن الاشتراكيون الثوريون في ناميبيا تضامنهم الكامل مع الطبقة العاملة السودانية وصغار المزارعين الفقراء
Caroline Conway	Bradford & Shipley Trades Council	Vice Chair, personal capacity	Solidarity for ever التضامن إلى الأبد