UN, AU chiefs call on Sudanese to accept Hamdok-Burhan deal

December 1, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – UN Secretary-General and Chairperson of the African Union Commission called on the Sudanese to accept the Hamdok-Burhan agreement pointing that it would allow to finalize the transition and hold general elections.

Antonio Guterres and Moussa al-Faki held a joint press conference in New York following the fifth African Union-United Nations Annual Conference on Wednesday.

Commenting about the continued protests against the coup leaders, al-Faki underscored the need for a compromise between the political forces and the army generals to complete the transition pointing that the elections should be held within. 18 months.

He further added that the Peace and Security Council will travel to Khartoum to discuss with the various Sudanese actors a compromise that would lead to finalizing the transition and organizing elections.

“For the first time in Sudan for several decades, the political parties, the armed component, the component of the armed movements, find themselves together and I believe that it is a momentum that should not be lost despite the slippages that it has had,” he stressed.

Hamdok reached an agreement on November 21 with the coup leaders giving them the control of the Sovereign Council and supervising a technocrats’ cabinet he would form.

However, his deal has been rejected by the groups of the Forces for freedom and Change (FFC) that had chosen him to the post in2019 as the protests continue in Khartoum. 43 Sudanese were killed during the anti-coup protests that took place in Sudan.

For his part, Guterres said he understands the indignation of the Sudanese people and that it is not perfect but can allow an effective transition to democracy. He added rejecting it would be “dangerous” for the stability of Sudan.

“So, my appeal to the various forces and to the Sudanese people is to support Prime Minister Hamdok in the next steps so that it is possible for a peaceful transition to true democracy in Sudan.

Sudanese political parties and human rights activists believe that the main reason of the military coup was to avoid the implementation of the constitutional declaration and key many reforms paving the way for democracy in Sudan.

in a report released by the Sentry on November 3 “A Strategy for Revitalizing Sudan’s Democratic Transition”, Sudanese rights defender and international expert Suleiman Baldo and JR Mailey said the Sudanese military and their allies realized that the economic and security reforms will end the organised looting of Sudan’s resources.

General al-Burhan, militia leaders, cadres of the former regime, and some Darfur armed groups carried out the coup of 25 October “to hijack the Sudanese economy for their private interests and for those of their regional allies and backers,” said Baldo.

Sudan’s former Cabinet Affairs Minister Khalid Omer Youssif told al-Jazeera TV on Wednesday that Hamdok “committed a big mistake” when he signed the political deal which gives the military the upper hand on the transition and its reforms.

He further stressed that t only a civilian government is the only guarantee to achieve the democratic reforms and to engineer solid institutions ensuring a solid democratic regime in Sudan.

The Resistance Committee and the Sudanese Professionals Association released a calendar for protests to be held in December.

(ST)