Sudan Launches Talks on Political Transition to Civilian Rule

Sudanese political parties began talks on Monday on the formation of a civilian government, more than a year after a military coup in the northeast African country.

The parties signed an initial framework agreement with the military on launching a political transition toward elections, but protesters complained that the deal was unrepresentative and left too many unsettled details. Among the sources of tension between political leaders and the military that led to the October 2021 coup was disagreement on how to dissolve the institutions left over from the administration of Omar al-Bashir, the ruler who was overthrown in a 2019 uprising.

The October 2021 coup ended a power-sharing agreement signed after Bashir’s ouster between the military and a civilian coalition known as the Forces of Freedom and Change.

“The goal is for the results of this conference to represent a wide base of Sudanese, to be comprehensive and express the views of stakeholders,” politician Khalid Omer Yousif said in a press conference on Monday.

Other issues still to be determined in future talks include transitional justice, reform of the security sector, a peace deal signed in 2020, and tensions in Sudan’s east.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday welcomed the recent steps toward restoring civilian-led rule in Sudan, said his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric.

“This step builds on the progress achieved on the signing of the Political Framework Agreement on Dec. 5, 2022, and marks another important step forward toward realizing the aspirations of the Sudanese people for democracy, peace and sustainable development,” Dujarric said in a statement.

“To ensure a lasting settlement, the secretary-general underscores the importance of including the broadest array of Sudanese stakeholders, including women, youth, and civil society. He also urges key stakeholders which did not sign the Dec. 5 agreement to join the political process,” the statement said. “Finally, he stresses the importance of strong and coordinated international support to the political process under the framework of the Trilateral Mechanism,” comprising the UN transition assistance mission in Sudan, the African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, an eight-country trade bloc in Africa.