Sudan army, civilian factions sign deal to form civilian government

The Sudanese army and political parties yesterday signed a framework deal that will pave the way for a two-year civilian-led transitional period towards elections and end a political crisis triggered by the October 2021 military coup, Anadolu news agency reported.

Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, commander of the Sudanese Army, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the Rapid Support Forces, signed the deal on behalf of the military forces.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Forces for Freedom and Change Coalition, the Revolutionary Front, other political organisations, workers’ unions and civil society organisations signed the agreement on behalf of the political forces.

The agreement comes months after Al-Burhan announced that the army would exit politics and pave the way for an agreement on a civilian government.

The framework agreement is based on the draft transitional constitution put forward by the steering committee of the Sudan Bar Association.

The draft establishes a constitutional framework to govern the remaining transitional period, and provides for the formation of a civilian-led government and a council to run the national security and defence affairs.

READ: Sudan’s rivals sign framework deal for transition

The agreement was announced on Friday, after a meeting that included the Forces for Freedom and Change Coalition and other political factions and military leaders, in the presence of officials from the African Union, the United Nations and the IGAD group as well as Western diplomats.

Sudan has been suffering from a political crisis since Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on 25 October 2021 and dissolved the sovereign council and the government

Since then, Sudan has witnessed almost weekly demonstrations and protests, while tribal violence has escalated in several regions.

The coup led to the suspension of billions of dollars in international financial assistance and a debt relief process, deepening the country’s economic crisis.