Sudan generals sign deal with civilian parties as protesters cry foul

Sudan’s ruling army generals have signed an initial agreement with civilian parties in a move expected to pave the way for ending a crisis caused by last year’s military coup.

The agreement was signed on Monday by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who seized power in October 2021, paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and multiple civilian groups, most notably the main civilian faction — Freedom and Change (FFC) — that was ousted in the coup.

Under the agreement, the military agreed it would only be represented on a security and defense council headed by a prime minister. It left sensitive issues, including transitional justice and security sector reform for further talks. The pact set no date for a final agreement or the appointment of a prime minister.

“The goals of the agreement are establishing a fully civilian authority, creating a free climate for politics, and reaching a final agreement with the widest political participation,” said al-Wathiq al-Barir, a spokesman for the FFC.

After signing the deal at the presidential palace, General Burhan said civilian control of politics must be respected. He also repeated a slogan used by protesters to call for the army to exit politics: ‘Soldiers belong in the barracks, and parties go to elections.’

If the deal plays out as planned, the civilian signatories will agree on a prime minister who will steer the country through a 24-month transition.

Last year's military coup halted a power-sharing arrangement between the military and the FFC coalition, and Sudan has been without a prime minister since the start of the year.

MG