Sudan: Opposition, military reach an agreement on transitional period
Sudan's Forces for Freedom and Change announce reaching a framework agreement with the military component on a document for the transitional period, adding that four files are yet to be agreed upon.
Sudan's Forces for Freedom and Change announced on Wednesday that they had reached a framework agreement with the military component in the country regarding a document for the transitional period.
"A framework agreement has been reached with the military component on a document for the transitional period, but there are four files that must be agreed upon," said Yasser Arman, spokesperson for the Freedom and Change Forces, during a press conference in the capital, Khartoum.
"The issues that will be raised are: transitional justice, dismantling of the Al-Bashir regime, reform of the security sector, and revision of Juba Peace Agreement," the spokesperson said.
A few days ago, the head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council in Sudan, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, called on the political forces in the country to sit down for negotiations, without conditions, in order to end the current political crisis, stressing that the army is not associated with any particular party or side.
According to Reuters, in the recent weeks, the coalition and military began talks with international backing, and General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan confirmed this week that the military had presented its notes on a draft constitution.
Last Thursday, the trilateral mechanism (United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)) announced that "basic understandings" had been reached between the military and civilians.
On September 10, Sudanese lawyers handed the trilateral mediation mechanism a draft on the transitional constitution, which was widely supported both on the local and international levels.
The draft included "the form of the state, the constitution and the rule of law, fundamental rights and freedoms, the federal government system, the institutions and duties of the transitional period."
It is worth noting that Sudan has been in turmoil since October 25, 2021, after Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government was dismissed and a state of emergency was declared in the country. Before the takeover by the military forces, Sudan was ruled by a sovereign council of the military, and civilian officials were tasked with overseeing the transition period until elections in 2023. Then-Army General Al-Burhan spearheaded a military coup that halted a collaboration between the army and civilian parties that were supposed to lead to democratic elections, igniting months of protests and international condemnation.
Since the military coup led by army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, when he overthrew the civilians who shared power with the army following the fall of former President Omar Al-Bashir, Sudan has seen continuous protests punctuated by unrest and violence.