Burhan, Hamdok sign political agreement on transition in Sudan

November 21, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok inked a contested deal to overcome the one-month crisis in Sudan.

“The two parties pledged to work together to complete the path of democratic correction for the best interest of Sudan,” says the political agreement signed in presence of the armed groups

The agreement, which is seen by many Sudanese as legitimizing the 25th October coup, was signed in the presence of members of the Sovereignty Council and heads of the former rebel groups that signed the Juba Peace Agreement

The agreement brokered by Sudanese mediators reaffirms that the constitutional declaration – amended after the Juba Peace Agreement remains – the main reference document for completing the transitional period.

The deal also provides to amend the constitutional document to ensure “comprehensive political participation for all components of society, except for the dissolved National Congress Party”.

This point responds to the demand of the military component to include the Popular Congress Party and Reform Now Party, two Islamist groups that al-Burhan wanted to be represented in the transitional legislative council.

Under the current Constitutional Document, these parties, which had been allied to the former regime, cannot participate in the transitional period and the major reforms to be adopted during this period including the constitution.

Their participation would provide a political base for the military component including two armed groups that backed them during the recent political rift in Sudan.

The agreement speaks about the formation of a civilian government composed of technocrats but stops short of indicating who would nominate them.

The Sovereignty Council supervises the implementation of the duties of the transitional period mentioned in Article 8 of the Constitutional Document related to the mandate of the transitional period, without direct interference in the executive work.

These duties among others include achieving peace, repealing laws and provisions that restrict freedoms or that discriminate between citizens on the basis of gender, carrying out legal reforms, holding the constitutional conference, reforming state agencies and investigating the bloody attack on a pro-democracy sit-in on June 3, 2019.

Al-Burhan- Hamdok agreement provides to adopt a new political agreement to define the framework of a partnership between the national political and civil forces, the military component, native administration, resistance committees, youth, women and Sufi orders.

The deal says the Empowerment Removal Committee should be reformed and establish an appeals committee to challenge its decisions.

The agreement also provides to release of all political detainees and building a unified national army.

The commander in chief of the Rapid Support Forces and deputy chairman of the Sovereign Council Mohamed Hamdan Daglo aka Hemetti was sitting beside al-Burhan but he did not speak during the event.

There were unconfirmed reports about the release of Yasir Arman, SPLM-N Agar Deputy Chairman and Hamdok political adviser.

Also, the official news agency SUNA released pictures showing Hamdok at his office with two of his office’s members.

(ST)