The Sudan’s top generals and its main pro-democracy group signed a framework agreement to transition towards elections after last year’s military coup.
Monday’s agreement promises to create a civilian-led transitional government to lead Sudan towards elections.
Protest groups opposed to negotiations with the military and Islamist factions loyal the former leader Omar al Bashir who was expelled in 2019, have opposed the deal.
The framework agreement stipulates that the military, which has been leading the government since the Oct 2021 coup, will not be allowed to participate in politics and would instead only be represented on a security-defense council headed by the prime minister.
The framework agreement did not contain a date for a final deal or a deadline to appoint a prime minister. It also did not address more complex issues such as security sector reform and transitional justice.
Sudan’s ruling generals and leaders of Forces of Freedom and Change, the largest pro-democracy organization in the country, signed the agreement.
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, a military leader, signed the agreement at the presidential palace. He said that civilian control over politics must be respected.
When he repeated a slogan that protesters used to call for the end of politics in the army, the signatories applauded. “Soldiers to barracks!”
Leaders of the pro-democracy Resistance Committee demanded demonstrations against the agreement in protest to the signing.
The United Nations, Saudi Arabia, the United States and the United Arab Emirates helped facilitate talks leading to the framework agreement.
Volker Perthes (UN’s special envoy for Sudan), attended Monday’s signing. He described the agreement as “Sudanese owned and Sudanese led”.
He said that he hoped that the agreement would allow for the rapid formation of a civil government capable of dealing with the security, humanitarian, and economic situations.
After the coup, donor funds have dried up and this deal is expected to bring in international aid.
reply
retweet
favourite
