SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Reuters - Sudanese factions agree plan to pave way for transitional government

3/8/19: Reuters - Sudanese factions agree plan to pave way for transitional government, by Khalid Abdelaziz

 Reuters’ report on Sudan’s constitutional declaration features comments from Magdi el-Gizouli, a Sudanese academic and a fellow of the Rift Valley Institute, who analysed how the agreement might play out.

 El-Gizouli attributed the agreement to pressure from mediators and Sudanese public opinion but questioned how the military and FFC will turn the agreement into practice, although “it is too early to speculate.”

 While the document says the Rapid Support Forces fall under general command of the armed forces, El-Gizouli doubted this would change anything since the RSF had always been formally under army control, adding that “[the RSF] is a private militia, it is not under the authority of anybody other than its commander…this was the condition under Bashir and will probably be the case now.”

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: AFP - Sudan protesters reach full agreement with generals on civilian rule

3/8/19: AFP - Sudan protesters reach full agreement with generals on civilian rule, by Haitham El-Tabei and Abdelmoneim Abu Idris Ali

 AFP’s report on reactions on the Sudanese streets to the constitutional declaration that paves the way for a transition to civilian rule.

 Among the thousands of “jubilant” Sudanese took to the streets to celebrate was Gomaa Hussein, who said "we cannot keep protesting indefinitely. It was important to reach a middle ground between all factions.”

 Protester Somaiya Sadeq said “we have been waiting for a civilian state to seek fair retribution from the murderers of our sons.”

 However, others criticised the FFC negotiators for their compromises. Mohammed Yassine said that “it is unacceptable to forget the blood of the martyrs [who] drove us to this defining moment.”

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources – Sudan transitional government will prioritise peace in the first 6 months

3/8/19: Multiple sources – Sudan transitional government will prioritise peace in the first 6 months

 Sudan’s transitional government will prioritise peace with armed groups in the southern and western regions during its first six months in power, according to Satea Al Hajj, a negotiator of the Forces of Freedom and Change opposition coalition.

 Omar Al Digair, the leader of the Sudanese Congress Party and a senior FFC member, said that the constitutional declaration which finalises the power-sharing agreement paves the way for appointments to the transitional bodies which “will prioritize peace (with rebel groups) and an independent and fair investigation to reveal those who killed the martyrs and hold them accountable.”

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources – Areas of contention in Sudan’s constitutional declaration

3/8/19: Multiple sources – Areas of contention in Sudan’s constitutional declaration

 Despite the constitutional declaration agreement between the Sudanese military and Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), areas of contention remain. 

 Talks will continue, as the members of the transitional government, a timeline for the installation of the government, and the technical details of the signing ceremony still need to be finalised.

 Other points of contention concern the powers of the proposed joint civilian-military ruling body, immunity for generals over protest-related violence and control over the Rapid Support Forces militia and the National Intelligence and Security Service.

 Although the constitutional declaration empowers the FFC to appoint the Cabinet, name the prime minister and appoint two-thirds of the seats in Sudan's Legislative Council, the military will select the interior and defence ministers.

 The head of the judiciary will be selected by the prime minister and the sovereign council, which is to be led by the military for the first 21 months.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Reuters - Sudan's RSF to report to Armed Forces' General commander - Constitutional Declaration Draft

3/8/19: Reuters - Sudan's RSF to report to Armed Forces' General commander - Constitutional Declaration Draft

 Reuters reports that the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces will report to the General Commander of the armed forces during an incoming period of transitional rule, a draft of a constitutional declaration agreed by Sudanese factions and seen by Reuters on Saturday showed.

 The draft also showed that Sudan’s General Intelligence service will be under the supervision of the sovereign council and the cabinet.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources – Sudan military and opposition forces finalise power-sharing agreement

3/8/19: Multiple sources – Sudan military and opposition forces finalise power-sharing agreement

Sudan’s military council and the main opposition coalition, the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), have agreed on a constitutional declaration to usher in a new period of transitional government

 Ebistam Senhouri, an FFC negotiator and member of the committee that drew up the declaration, said that the document establishes a joint civilian-military sovereign council to rule Sudan for 39 months until elections.

 There will also be a Cabinet of independent technocrats chosen by the FFC, the leader of which will be the Prime Minister.

 Senhouri added that the FFC will pick 67% of the new legislative council, with the remainder chosen by political parties that were not part of Omar Al Bashir’s government. The FFC will be allocated 201 of the 300 seats in the new parliament.

 The military will pick the ministers of defence and the interior and lead the sovereign council for the first 21 months.