Pro-military groups to establish new coalition for Sudan’s transition

August 30, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – Some political forces, armed movements and dissidents of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) prepare to announce a new political coalition with a political programme giving the army broad powers in the transitional government.

Informed sources told Sudan Tribune on Tuesday that the Sudanese Army Commander in Chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan supports this new coalition, enabling him to remain in power and work with a collaborative premier minister.

The groups involved in the new coalition are the Unionist Democratic Party, Sudanese Baath Party, Republican Party faction of Hyder al-Safi, Unionist Party, National Consensus Forces, Umma party of Mubarak al-Fadil, and the Sudan People Initiative.

Representatives of these political forces held on Monday night a meeting to discuss ways to combine the different initiatives they launched and the final touches of the alliance before announcing it on Thursday, September 1.

The Popular Congress Party (PCP) had been approached to join this alliance. But they declined the invitation, reaffirming they would not be a party to any alliance backed by the military and army commander in chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

On July 4, 2022, al-Burhan announced the withdrawal of the military component. However, all the indications lead to understanding that he still clings to the army’s participation in the transition as the only guarantor of Sudan’s integrity.

According to the sources, there are fears that this development might lead to a rift between al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti” who just on August 29 reiterated the commitment of the military component to withdraw from the transitional government.

Gen al-Burhan several times reassured U.S. and Saudi officials that he would not obstruct or hinder ongoing efforts to form a civilian government.

Hemetti was the one who was suspected of having political ambitions.

The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) is backing an initiative led by the Sudan Bar Association, which is expected to finalize its political and constitutional declarations on Thursday.

The Trilateral Mechanism of the UNITAMS, African Union and IGAD met with several coalitions to discuss their position papers and wait for the FFC declarations before combining all these initiatives and launching a round table conference over the final transitional constitutional declaration.

In a related development, the National Umma Party and the Democratic Unionist Party met on August 30 to discuss the political situation.

The two parties agreed to launch a comprehensive and inclusive dialogue to end the political crisis and restore a civil transition.

(ST)