The Graduates' General Congress (GGC) (Arabic: مؤتمر الخريجين; 1938 – 1943) is a Sudanese entity established during the period of colonial bilateral rule in Sudan, similar to the Indian conference that brought independence to India. The GGC played an important role in the struggle for independence. The birth of the GGC was by graduates of Gordon Memorial College (today’s University of Khartoum), and graduates of other foreign colleges, including lawyers, teachers, and civil servants, who sought greater political representation and self-determination for Sudan. The first secretary of the GGC was Ismail al-Azhari, which was elected in 1940 before the GGC split in 1943.
The GGC worked to mobilise public support for Sudanese independence through a variety of means, including political rallies, public speeches, and media campaigns. It also organised strikes and protests to pressure the British government to grant greater autonomy to Sudan.
The GGC was led by a number of prominent Sudanese nationalist figures, including Ismail al-Azhari and Mohamed Ahmed Mahjoub, who went on to become key figures in the independent Sudanese government after the country gained independence in 1956.
The GGC emerged in the context of broader political and social changes in Sudan in the early 20th century. Many educated Sudanese professionals who had been educated in Europe or Egypt began to push for greater political representation and autonomy, and the GGC was formed in response to these demands.
The GGC engaged in a variety of political activities to advance the cause of Sudanese independence. These included organizing rallies, publishing newspapers and other media, and forming alliances with other nationalist groups in Sudan and other African countries.
The GGC was led by a number of prominent nationalist figures, including Ismail al-Azhari, who would later serve as Sudan's first prime minister after independence, and Mohamed Ahmed Mahjoub, who served as foreign minister.
The GGC's efforts played a key role in shaping the political landscape of modern Sudan, and many of the organization's leaders went on to play prominent roles in the independent Sudanese government. However, some scholars have also criticised the GGC and other nationalist groups in Sudan for focusing too heavily on elite interests and failing to address the needs of Sudan's marginalised communities.