Sudan’s opposition coalition & military council sign accord on transitional government

Sudan will be getting a democratic government soon as a final power-sharing agreement was signed by the country’s opposition coalition and the ruling military council on Saturday August 17. 

The agreement was signed to pave way for a transitional government following the overthrow of long-time leader Omar al-Bashir. Sudan has been ruled by the Transitional Military Council (TMC) since April. 

However the negotiation for power sharing which has been on for months between the military and Sudan’s main opposition coalition known as the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), paid off this week and led to the signing of an agreement for a transitional government. 

Some of the key points in the 22-clause accord include; 

• An 11-member governing body, called the Sovereign Council, will rule the country for just over three years.
• The governing body will be composed of five military personnel chosen by the TMC and five civilians selected by the FFC.
• The 11th member will be a civilian chosen by consensus between the two parties.
• The Sovereign Council will be headed by a military general during the first 21 months, followed by a civilian for the remaining 18 months.
• The constitutional declaration, which an African Union mediator said will be signed on Friday, shall determine the powers and functions of the Sovereign Council.
• The FFC will choose the prime minister in accordance with conditions stipulated by the constitutional declaration.
• The prime minister will name a cabinet of 20 ministers, excluding the interior and defence ministers, who will be appointed by the military members of the Sovereign Council.
• Cabinet ministers and Sovereign Council members during the transitional period will not be allowed to run in the ensuing elections.
• Until a legislative council is established within three months of the agreement, its responsibilities will be carried out by the cabinet of ministers and approved by the Sovereign Council.
• An independent national commission of inquiry into the violence that took place on June 3, when scores of protesters were killed during the dispersal by security forces of a major protest camp in Khartoum, will be established.
• New policies will be developed over the next six months in consultation with all armed groups in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions to achieve comprehensive peace in those regions.