Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) Alliance Sign Political Accord Wednesday July 17,2019

Sudan protesters, ruling generals sign political deal

 

Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) alliance have signed a political accord to form a power-sharing body, after weeks of divisions amid persistent demands by protesters calling for civilian rule following the toppling of President Omar al Bashir in April 2019

The 22-clause accord signed on Wednesday July 1,2019 in the capital, Khartoum, solidified an agreement reached between the two sides earlier this month

Here are some of its key points:

• 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(AU) 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.
  

The two sides are still holding negotiations over the constitutional declaration, seen as a more contentious document that will detail the terms of the transitional period.