Opposition FFC accepts mediation proposal over Sudan’s transitional authority

June 22, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) Saturday accepted a draft agreement on the transitional institutions proposed by the Ethiopian mediator.

The draft agreement comes one week before the end of a two-month period given by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union to the Transitional Military Council (TMC) which is now facing targeted sanctions after suspension of Sudan membership earlier this month.

“We declare the FFC acceptance of the proposal made by the Ethiopian mediation, which contained the total of what was agreed at the negotiating sessions previously,” said an FFC spokesperson Babikir Faisal Babikir in a press conference held on Saturday evening.

“Our agreement on the proposal of the Ethiopian mediation put all parties in front of their responsibilities towards the completion of the efforts for a political solution. Therefore, we demand that the document be approved by the military council to move the situation in Sudan to another square,”. Babikir further stressed.

The draft agreement, which was handed over to the parties on Thursday, maintains the previous agreements on the composition of the transitional government and parliament.

Opposition factions will have 67% of the 300 seats in the legislative assembly while the cabinet will be formed of technocrats tasked with political and economic reforms.

Regarding the disputed Sovereignty Council, each side will be represented by seven people plus an impartial person.

The military council demands to take control of the Sovereign Council saying they want to be the guarantor of national independence and territorial integrity.

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the transitional did not issue a statement on the proposal. Also, the Ethiopian Mediator Mahmoud Dirir postponed a meeting with the opposition on Saturday evening.

For his part, the TMC deputy leader and head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti” reiterated that they would accept that the parliament to be controlled by the opposition.

“We do not reject negotiation, but we do not accept that a single party obtains 67% of the legislative council,” said Hemetti said in a speech in the Eastern Nile area in Khartoum State.

Also, Hemetti claims that an opposition-controlled parliament would vote a bill disbanding his paramilitary force. So, they want that the half of parliament be appointed by the military council.

The official news agency SUNA, however, did not report this statement.

(ST)