Sudanese parties opt for collegiate transitional presidency

April 4, 2023 (KHARTOUM) -The parties engaged in the political process reached an agreement to establish a collegial head of state and a legislative council as integral components of the upcoming transitional authority in Sudan.

The draft final political agreement handed over to the parties last week left unresolved two options for the post of the Head of State: individual or collegiate presidency and suggested that the members of the  Transitional Legislative Council be between 150 and 300 members.

Following a meeting held on Tuesday, credible sources told Sudan Tribune, that “the committee tasked with drafting the final political agreement proposed the formation of a Sovereignty Council consisting of seven to nine members, including the leaders of the armed movements.”

The sources suggested that the Sovereignty Council be composed of nine members to ensure the representation of three of the signatories to the peace agreement.

The Juba peace agreement of October 3, 2020, granted 25 per cent of the executive authority to the former armed groups. After that, the peace signatories agreed with the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) to give them three seats in the Sovereignty Council.

In the past months, the military leaders voiced their preference for one president because the head of the state is also the commander-in-chief of the army. But; some leaders of the armed groups said the collegiate presidency would allow them to be represented.

According to the sources, The meeting also agreed that the legislative council consists of 300 members and the government be composed of 26 ministers.

For his part, the spokesman of the political process Khalid Omer Youssif said that the drafting committee included the observations made by the military and civilian parties in the draft final agreement, in preparation for submitting it to the political mechanism.

Youssif added that the final agreement is now ready awaiting the recommendations of the technical committees on the security and military reforms made up of the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (TSF).

The regular army and the paramilitary forces are still discussing the RSF integration as the parties disagree on the formation of joint command and the merger process.

It is expected the signing of the final political agreement scheduled for April 6,  be delayed for the second time.

(ST)