On Sunday, after signing a political agreement with the military, Sudan’s ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was reinstated. The deal, which was also signed by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has put an end to a weeks-long political crisis that threatened to undermine Sudan’s democratic transition.
According to the 14-point agreement, a 2019 political declaration is said to become the basis for transition in Sudan and that elections will be held in 2023 as previously scheduled. The formation of a “technocrat cabinet” has also been provided for the prime minister.
The formation of all transitional institutions, including the legislative assembly and the constitutional court, and the appointment of an attorney-general and chief justice are also called on by the agreement.
Hamdok said the political agreement will correct the path of the revolution and political transition in Sudan while addressing the signing ceremony in Khartoum.
Hamdok has stated that signing the political agreement will open the door to address all the pending issues of the transitional period over the past two years. “Under this partnership, we have managed to achieve a lot… We have brought Sudan back into the international community, lifted its name from the US List of State Sponsors of Terrorism, and many other achievements. However, we still have many challenges laying ahead,” Hamdok added.
For his part, al-Burhan stated that the agreement was the first step to solve the political crisis in Sudan. He also maintained that, with the exception of the former ruling party of ousted President Omar al-Bashir, dialogues will be held with all political parties in Sudan on the transition to democracy.
Sudan’s main civilian coalition, the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), said it did not recognize the deal to reinstate Hamdok ahead of the signing ceremony. In an official statement, the FFC stated: “We affirm our clear and previously announced position: no negotiation, no partnership and no legitimacy for the putchists.”
Amid rival protests and accusations between the military and politicians in the country, al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the transitional Sovereignty Council and government on October 25.
Accusing those rejecting his move as “stirring chaos,” Al-Burhan argued that the measures were meant to protect the country from “imminent danger.”
Sudan was administered by a sovereign council of military and civilian officials which was overseeing the transition period until elections in 2023 prior to the military takeover, as part of a power-sharing pact between the military and FFC.
