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African Union gives Sudan army 60 days to hand over power

May 2, 2019 at 12:50 pm

Sudanese demonstrators gather in front of the military headquarters demanding a civilian transition government, in Khartoum, Sudan on 21 April 2019 [Ömer Erdem/Anadolu Agency]

The African Union (AU) yesterday gave the Sudanese Transitional Military Council another 60 days to hand over power to a civilian transitional authority or face the country’s membership being suspended.

On 15 April, the AU gave the council 15 days to cede power, however, the TMC ignored the deadline.

The AU Peace and Security Council has reiterated in a statement “its conviction that a military-led transition in the Sudan will be totally unacceptable and contrary to the will and legitimate aspirations, to democratic institutions and processes, as well as respect for human rights and freedoms of the Sudanese people.”

The AU special envoy to Sudan, Mohamed El-Hassan Ould Labbat, arrived in Khartoum on Tuesday, where he met with TMC spokesman, Shams El Din Kabbashi.

READ: Sudan protest group calls for strike amid transition stand-off

The meeting dealt with steps taken since the visit of the AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki, to Sudan as well as dialogue with the Sudanese opposition.

Ould Labbat said that his mission is to “help Sudan find solutions made by the Sudanese themselves”.

A day earlier, the Sudanese opposition accused the TMC of not being serious about handing over power to civilians after the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir.

Sudan's military removes al-Bashir - Cartoon [Arabi21]

Sudan’s military removes al-Bashir – Cartoon [Arabi21]