UNITAMS, AU welcome signing of Sudan’s Framework Agreement

December 5, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have welcomed the signing of a Political Framework Agreement between civilian political forces and the military institution in Sudan.

Sudanese stakeholders from the military component and the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) on Monday signed the Political Framework Agreement which seeks to establish a new transitional period.

The Trilateral Mechanism calls on the transitional authorities to commit to respect and protect the rights and freedoms of all Sudanese to ensure the success of the ongoing political process. It also calls on the international donor community to fully resume its financial support once a functioning government is in place.

The Agreement, a joint statement stated, is a critical first step towards the restoration of a sustainable transitional period and the formation of a credible civil, democratic, and accountable government.

These critical issues, it further noted, include justice and transitional justice, security sector reform, the status of the Dismantling Committee, the Juba Peace Agreement, the economy, and the East.

“The Trilateral Mechanism outlines the importance of starting to work without delay on the second phase of the process. It encourages broad-based consultations to address the outstanding issues envisaged by the signatories to the Political Framework Agreement,” reads a joint statement from UNITAMS, AU and IGAD.

The statement added, “It also strongly encourages key political forces that have not yet signed the Framework Agreement to join the political process”.

In accordance with the framework agreement, the signatories agreed to repeal the 2019 constitutional declaration and to review the decisions issued by the military leaders after the October 25, 2021 coup.

In addition, the deal provides that the Transitional Constitution is the supreme law of the state, ending the supremacy of the Juba Peace Agreement.

The agreement reaffirms the establishment of a single professional army and the merger of Rapid Support Forces, prohibiting the military from conducting investment and commercial business except for the military industry.

The signed text reaffirmed the principle of accountability, justice and transitional justice for the war crimes, the attacks on the pro-democracy sit-in and the post-coup killing of protesters.

Based on the principle of the civilian state, the framework agreement provides that the head of state will be the commander-in-chief of the army.

The two-year transition will start with the appointment of the prime minister who will be chosen by the forces of the revolution.

To avoid any confusion as was the case in 2019, the text clearly stipulates that the prime minister will appoint the Director of the General Intelligence Service.

Concerning the Juba peace agreement, the document reiterated the commitment to implement the Juba peace agreement once it is reviewed.

In addition, the civilian government has to resume talks with the SPLM-N led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu based on the declaration of principles of March 2021. The cabinet also has to negotiate the SLM of Abdel Wahid al-Nur.

The transitional government will consist of the legislative council, the head of state entity, and the council of minister independent commissions. The text emphasizes that 40% of the parliament’s seats should be allocated for women’s representation.

The framework agreement provides to develop four pillars before forming the transitional authority within a month.

(ST)