Sudan extends transitional government period 

Sudan’s Sovereign Council and Ministerial Council have approved a constitutional document which includes the extension of the transitional government period for 14 more months, local media reported on Monday.

The original constitutional document placed August 2019 as the start of the transitional period. The change is dated from the signing of the Juba peace deal last month.

Both councils approved the ratification of the document, which also included the formation of a new Sovereign Council of 14 members. The membership will consist of five civilians chosen by the Freedom and Change bloc, five chosen by the armed forces, one chosen by agreement between the two main components of the council and three chosen by the parties who signed Juba deal.

The now dissolved Transitional Military Council and the Freedom and Change bloc signed the original constitutional document on 17 August last year. It included details about the transitional period which was decided would end with elections after 39 months. The Legislative Council has yet to be formed.

Sudan has been unstable since the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir on 11 April 2019 following popular protests against the deteriorating economic situation. Sudanese journalist Ammar Mohammed revealed recently that those who became the leaders of the transitional period had toured Western countries urging their governments to continue imposing sanctions on Sudan in order to pressure Al-Bashir to quit or push the Sudanese to remove him by force.

His comment was made after the signing of the normalisation deal between the Sudanese authorities and the Israeli occupation state. Mass protests erupted in Sudan and were met with a harsh crackdown.

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