Sudan: Military, protesters sign power-sharing document

AP | Sudan’s pro-democracy movement and the ruling military council signed a document early Wednesday that outlines a power-sharing deal, but both sides are still at work on a more contentious constitutional agreement that would specify the division of powers.

The signing ceremony held in the capital, Khartoum, after marathon overnight talks, marks an important step in the transition to civilian rule following the military overthrow of long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir amid mass protests in April.

The document signed Wednesday would establish a joint civilian-military sovereign council that would govern Sudan for a little over 3 years while elections are organized. A military leader will head the 11-member council for the first 21 months, followed by a civilian leader for the next 18.

It marks a significant concession by the protesters, who had demanded an immediate transition to civilian rule. The pro-democracy movement would appoint a Cabinet, and the both sides would agree on a legislative body within 3 months of the start of the transition.

The two sides have yet to agree on a division of powers between the sovereign council, the Cabinet and the legislative body, which would be enshrined in the constitutional document. That document, which they hope to adopt in talks scheduled for Friday, would also set the terms of military leaders’ potential immunity from prosecution.

“This is the big hurdle. Sudan’s future after al-Bashir will be defined by this constitutional declaration,” said Rasha Awad, editor of the online Sudanese newspaper Altaghyeer.

The agreement signed Wednesday at a ceremony broadcast by state TV, ended weeks of stalemate that had raised fears of further violence or even civil war.

“We are ushering in a new era,” said Ibrahim al-Amin, a negotiator for the Forces of the Declaration of Freedom and change (FDFC), a broad-based coalition including independent professional unions, traditional political parties and other groups. The upcoming government will be a government of all Sudanese, for all citizens, we have suffered enough from the totalitarian dictatorial regime.”

Envoys from Ethiopia and the African Union, who had spearheaded mediation efforts, also praised the agreement at Wednesday’s ceremony.

Al-Bashir, who ruled Sudan for 30 years, has been jailed in Khartoum since his ouster.