An agreement paving the way for a transition has been signed today.
BY TESFANEWS*
Sudan’s ruling military council and and an alliance of opposition groups have signed a transitional power-sharing accord on Wednesday after weeks of negotiations and deadly protests.
The deal is aimed at breaking the political deadlock that has gripped the country since the toppling of President Omar al-Bashir in April.
It is a “historic moment” for the country, the deputy head of Sudan’s ruling military council, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagolo, is quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
The two sides signed the document after intense overnight talks in the capital, Khartoum, over the details of an agreement reached earlier this month to establish a joint military-civilian sovereign council that will rule the country by rotation.
The 22-clause deal, which lacks crucial details for now, states the 11-member governing body will rule the country for just over three years, after which elections will be held.
That council will be made of five civilians, five military figures, and an 11th civilian, to be chosen by the 10 members.
The terms of the transitional period, which will be laid out in a constitutional declaration, are yet to be agreed. This includes whether the sovereign council will be the top tier of government or just a ceremonial body.
A military general will be in charge of that council for the first 21 months, then a civilian will lead for the following 18 months, followed by elections.
They also agreed that there will be a cabinet in which the prime minister will be chosen by the protesters and two key posts – defence and interior minister – will be nominated by the military.
The military has been pushing for immunity from prosecution after protesters’ deaths, but this is absent from the signed deal.
It does, however, promise an investigation into the violence.
Sudan’s transitional agreement. Ministers of defense and interior are appointed by the military. Constitutional agreement to be negotiated later. pic.twitter.com/aWhf01eXdU
— Justin Lynch (@just1nlynch) July 17, 2019
Sudan is one step closer to civilian rule – after the military council and protest leaders signed a landmark agreement creating a transitional power-sharing body.
For all the latest: https://t.co/Y6RyyVTSo1 https://t.co/xpzmDMAEtT
— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) July 17, 2019
The U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan and the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum congratulate the Sudanese people for the initialing by the TMC and FFC of the political agreement on the formation of the structures and institutions of the governance in the transitional period. (1/2)
— U.S. Embassy Khartoum (@USEmbassyKRT) July 17, 2019
* The BBC News and Al-Jazeera contributed to the story.
