Sudanese political groups sign charter to end crisis and establish transitional period
May 8, 2024 (CAIRO) – In a significant step towards resolving Sudan’s ongoing crisis, 48 political and civil groups signed a political charter in Cairo on Wednesday. This charter aims to establish a transitional period and initiate a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue to determine the form and system of governance for the country.
Prominent figures among the signatories include Jaafar Al-Mirghani, head of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) Democratic Bloc and deputy head of the Democratic Unionist Party; Mubarak Al-Fadil Al-Mahdi, head of the Umma Party; Minni Minawi, head of the Sudan Liberation Movement; Gibril Ibrahim, head of the Justice and Equality Movement; and Al-Tijani al-Sisi, head of the National Movement Bloc.
The charter, titled “The Understanding Framework Vision for Managing the Transitional Founding Period,” outlines several key objectives: resolving the political crisis and ending the ongoing war, establishing a defined transitional period for governing the country and undertaking reforms to rebuild the state apparatus and ensure security and stability throughout the transition towards democratic civilian rule.
The charter emphasizes achieving these goals through consensus and an inclusive Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue.
It calls for regional and international mechanisms to maintain impartiality towards all parties involved. A critical aspect of the transitional period is addressing the roots of Sudan’s crisis at a Constitutional Conference, which will discuss issues related to the system and form of government, identity, the social contract, and reaching a consensus on a permanent constitution to be approved through a popular referendum.
The coalition, which supports the Sudanese army in its conflict against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), aspires to form a transitional government, convene a constitutional conference, and prepare for general elections following the end of the war.
Sudan’s de facto ruler, Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has repeatedly stated his rejection of any process that does not ensure the RSF’s surrender and has declared that no political dialogue will be held before the end of the war.
A key proposal of the charter is the formation of a non-partisan government of competencies and a Sovereignty Council during the transitional period, composed of seven military and civilian members. It also calls for creating a committee of 11 esteemed national figures to nominate three candidates for the prime minister position, with the Sovereignty Council selecting one of them. Additionally, the charter proposes a committee of 15 members from the dialogue participants to nominate members of the Transitional Legislative Council, which will consist of 300 representatives from political and civil forces, civil administration, clergy, women, and youth.
The document, seen by the Sudan Tribune, advocates for holding consultative forums to build trust and consensus among the parties, agreeing on the location and agenda of the dialogue, and ensuring equal representation. The dialogue, facilitated by a national committee agreed upon by all parties, is viewed as a foundational authority to establish constitutional arrangements for managing the transitional period and transitioning to democratic civilian rule post-conflict.
The charter suggests that the transitional period be governed by the 2019 Constitutional Document, with amendments to suit the new political situation or a new document agreed upon through dialogue. This period is set to last three years, with general elections to be held by the end of it.