Sudanese parties to strike deal on new transitional government soon: al-Mahdi
August 15, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Mariam al-Mahdi deputy leader of the National Umma Party (NUP), on Monday, revealed an imminent political agreement between the Sudanese forces to form an inclusive transitional government ending the current political stalemate in Sudan.
In an interview with al Al-Jazeera TV on Monday, al-Mahdi said she had hopes that an agreement would be reached before August 17, the third anniversary of the constitutional document, adding that it would be signed during this month.
She said that the deteriorating economic situation in the country and the looming famine threatening the lives of 18 million people pushed these political forces to move towards a political solution.
The leading member of the FFC coalition said stressed that the next government would be fully civilian, given that it was about “handing over power from the military” who carried out the coup to the civilian forces.
“The military component clearly announced that they are in the process of handing over power, the government must be civilian and that they will form a single professional army.”
Concerning the forces that would participate in the transitional government; al-Mahdi said it would include the FFC factions – the mainstream and the National Consensus-, resistance committees, civil society and professional groups.
She further disclosed the participation of two parties that had been allied to the former regime (Popular Congress Party, the Democratic Unionist Party), the former rebel groups signatory of peace agreements with the former regime, the Native administration and Sufi groups.
She said they would participate in the transitional parliament to “control of the transitional government” without developing this point.
It is worth mentioning that there is a general agreement on the formation of a technocratic cabinet, but the armed groups particularly the National Consensus insist on their participation in the transitional government.
No sovereign powers for the army
Al-Mahdi reiterated that the role of the military component will be strictly limited to the security and defence sectors without any intervention from the government.
She clearly said that “no executive or sovereign role” would be granted to the military component as al-Burhan said in his 4-July statement.
“There is no room to accept it,” she said, before adding “As Hemetti ( in a separate statement) said that the army will enter the barracks and work to form a single professional and national army”.
She also rejected the recommendations of the People of Sudan conference which gathered dignitaries from the banned National Congress Party and their allied groups.
(ST)