Burhan urges international community to press for inclusive agreement in Sudan
September 27, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan called on the international community to press political forces to reach an inclusive agreement paving the way for the restoration of a civilian government.
On July 4, 2022, al-Burhan announced the army withdrawal from the negotiations on the new transitional government saying the dialogue should be between civilians. He added they would hand over power to the would-be agreed authority and establish a supreme council for the armed forces to deal with security and defence matters and related responsibilities which will be agreed upon with the civilian cabinet.
The head of the ruling Sovereign Council met with the e held two separate meetings with UK Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Robert Fairweather and EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa Annette Weber.
The two officials discussed with the head of the military leader the troubled political situation in Sudan after the coup of October 25, 2021, and the need to quickly form a new civilian government nearly a year after the dissolution of the Hamdok cabinet.
The Sovereign Council stated that al-Burhan renewed his pledge to hand over power to a civilian cabinet if the political forces reach a comprehensive agreement with wide-ranging support.
In addition, he renewed his trust in the trilateral mechanism’s capacity to usher the political forces in this inclusive process.
“General al-Burhan called on the international community and Britain to urge the parties to achieve a political settlement and cooperate with all parties alike,” reads a statement issued by the Sovereign Council.
The political forces in Sudan are divided over who can participate in the transitional process and the role that the military component can play.
The forces that backed the coup plead for a government in partnership with the military component. While the ousted Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) call for a fully civilian cabinet and a restricted role for the army under the leadership of the civilian authority.
In return, al-Burhan by his call for an inclusive process also want to involve political and civil society groups that were not part of the revolution’s forces.
“The lack of political agreement and of a fully functional Government contributed to insecurity in various parts of the country, as well as to the deterioration of the economic and humanitarian situation,” said the UN General Secretary in a report to the Security Council on September 2.
Antonio Guterres further urged the civilian and military stakeholders to engage in meaningful talks on their respective roles and functions for the transitional period.
The FFC forces also call on the military to discuss with them how they would hand over power as they want also to repeal all the measures taken by the military component.
(ST)