Sudanese cabinet adopts five-axes transition action plan
February 27, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government announced on Saturday an action plan on five axes to achieve the goals of the transitional period including economic reform, comprehensive peace, democratic transformation and foreign relations.
The plan was adopted during a three-day retreat for the whole cabinet members to set the priorities of the second cabinet formed on 8 February after the inclusion of the armed groups, signatory of the Juba peace agreement on 3 October 2020.
Information Minister and government spokesman Hamzah Balloul, on Saturday evening, read a statement on the resolutions of the retreat, which was characterized by “a good team spirit to tighten the transitional government’s perceptions to achieve the tasks of the glorious December revolution.”
He added that the discussions were based on the five priorities Prime minister Abdallah Hamdok had already discussed with all the partners of the transition after consultations with large segments of Sudanese society.
Economic
With regard to the economic reforms, the government decided to control gold exports under the supervision of the Central Bank of Sudan and to accelerate the establishment of a Sudanese gold exchange.
Rehabilitation and development of Port Sudan port and the railways in addition to rehabilitating the maintenance of quarries, veterinary laboratories and slaughterhouses to ensure an increase in livestock exports.
The meeting also decided to localize the drug industry to cover 60% of the local needs, support the free treatment programme to include medicines for all chronic diseases, primary health care, and emergencies.
The government also prioritized the completion of the electricity and oil projects, the horizontal and vertical expansion in rain and irrigated agriculture.
Comprehensive peace
Concerning peace in Sudan, the government decided to provide the necessary resources to implement the Juba Peace Agreement, according to its agreed timelines.
The peace implementation process includes the protection of civilians, providing water services, health, electricity, education to the residents of the war-affected areas, and encourage voluntarily return refugees and displaced persons to their places of origin.
The retreat also decided to resume the negotiations with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu and to reach out to the Sudan Liberation Movement of Abdel Wahid al-Nur (SLM-AW) to achieve a comprehensive peace in Sudan.
The Juba-brokered peace process with the SPLM-N al-Hilu stalled over the separation between the state and religion. During a meeting held in November 2020, the military component in the Sovereign Council clearly rejected the outcome of a workshop between the two negotiating delegations.
For the SLM-AW, the holdout group rejected to take part in the Juba process because it does not recognize the transitional government. Instead, the group says they plan to hold after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic an inclusive conference in Khartoum to discuss peace in Sudan.
Security strategy
The meeting adopted a comprehensive national security strategy aimed at forming a professional and unified professional national army, reforming the General Intelligence and Police services, establishment of the Internal Security Agency, consolidating the borders forces, implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration programme.
Developing the civil registry and immigration systems, the formation of the joint forces to protect civilians in the war-affected areas, ensure security for the voluntary return of displaced persons and refugees, weapon collection.
In the axis of foreign relations, the government plans to activate Sudan’s role in international forums and restore it, while prioritizing the development of the relationship with South Sudan and the neighbouring countries in a way that serves peace, security and development.
Also, the government decided to defuse the border crisis with Ethiopia while affirming Sudan’s sovereignty over its territory and ensuring its water security, further said the statement referring to the GERD process.
Democratic transition
The cabinet also decided to move forward with the implementation of the transitional period goals particularly after the establishment of the UNITAMS which is mandated to support the government efforts in this respect.
To this end, the three-day retreat decided to establish all transitional authority commissions and to launch a comprehensive transitional justice process.
Also, the cabinet decided to prepare for the elections as one of the most important goals of the transition, holding the Constitutional Conference and conducting the population census, drafting the election law and establishing its commission.
In addition, the cabinet adopted other programmes for anti-corruption and transparency and reforming decentralized government institutions and civil service.
(ST)