This archive report was first published on 5 August 2019.
On August 4, 2019, Sudan's military rulers and the main opposition coalition initialed a constitutional declaration, marking a significant step towards a transitional government following the overthrow of long-time leader Omar al-Bashir.
The agreement was reached after lengthy negotiations between the two sides, which began following Bashir's overthrow by the army in April 2019.
According to the agreement, the parties will put their final signatures on the document on August 17 at a ceremony in Khartoum, attended by foreign leaders.
Speaking at the ceremony, Nusseibeh Abdullah, a 21-year-old woman, said, “Today, the civilian state is achieved.”
One of Sudan's top generals, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, said the agreement was a victory for Sudan.
“We have finally agreed on a constitutional document that will change the course of history for our country,” he said.
Despite the optimism surrounding the agreement, some have cautioned that it is still too early to tell how events will unfold in the lengthy transition period required to prepare for elections after three decades of autocratic rule under Bashir.
Magdi el-Gizouli, a Sudanese academic and a fellow of the Rift Valley Institute, said, “It is not the first time that Sudan signed some sort of agreement to resolve very difficult political questions.”
However, he added, “I think if there is reason for optimism, the reason is not in the negotiation rooms, the reason is in this popular movement that doesn’t want to go away.”
The agreement was welcomed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, all of which see themselves as influential in Khartoum.
According to a document seen by Reuters, the formation of a sovereign council, which will run the country during a three-year transitional period leading up to elections, will be announced on August 18.
A new prime minister will be named on August 20, and a cabinet on August 28.
The cabinet and the sovereign council will meet together on September 1, ahead of the appointment of a legislative assembly in three months.
