Al-Burhan repeats calls for new broad-based government in Sudan
October 23, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Saturday reiterated his call for a broad-based government, claiming that some groups have confiscated power in Sudan.
Al-Burhan made his call in a joint meeting with the visiting U. S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo aka Hemetti.
Al-Burhan stressed the need to resort to the Constitutional Document and the Juba Agreement, reads a statement issued after the meeting with Feltman.
He called to expand the political participation of all national forces, except for the (dissolved) National Congress Party, stressing that the cabinet cannot be monopolized by certain parties that do not represent all segments of the Sudanese people”.
Al-Burhan and his military component are in open conflict with the ruling Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) over several issues related to the implementation of the constitutional declaration governing the 4-years transition.
Following a failed coup attempt he and the FFC groups traded accusations over the slow pace of the reforms. Following what, he called to dissolve the cabinet pointing to the presence of several FFC leaders saying the constitutional declaration speak about a technocrat cabinet, not a political cabinet.
After the joint meeting, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum said that Feltman underlined U.S. support for “a civilian democratic transition” as the wishes of the Sudanese people, referring to the nationwide rallies supporting the civilian government.
The U.S. diplomat who is playing the mediator without saying it further “urged all actors to recommit to working together to implement the constitutional declaration and Juba Peace Agreement”.
The head of the military component has stopped all the joint meetings between the Sovereign Council, the government and other committees, paralyzing the function of the transitional authority.
The prime minister issued a statement saying that he held a separate meeting with the visiting U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa.
“The meeting discussed the political situation in the country, and the need to preserve the democratic civil transition process ‘…)” read a statement issued by Hamdok’s office.
The State Department Spokesman Ned Price urged the civilian and military components to “adhere to the provisions of the constitutional declaration and the Juba peace agreement and move forward in a spirit of dialogue and partnership to build on the momentum of yesterday’s demonstrations”.
Also, Feltman told UAE based the National that calls for the resignation of the Hamdok cabinet are “distraction”.
“It’s a deflection of attention that needs to be devoted to the transition benchmarks,” he further said.