The signing of a political agreement to establish a civilian government in Sudan has been postponed until April 6, according to an official announcement. The delay comes amid ongoing disagreements between military factions. Khalid Omar Yousif, spokesperson for the negotiation process, stated on Twitter that both military and civilian parties have agreed to “redouble efforts to overcome the remaining obstacle within a few days and pave the way for the signing of the final political agreement on April 6”. The delay was attributed to a lack of consensus on some outstanding issues.
The democratic transition in Sudan was disrupted by a coup in October 2021 led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, which followed the removal of General Omar al-Bashir in 2019. Negotiations have been ongoing for weeks to reach an agreement that would revive the transition to civilian-led rule and democratic elections. The final agreement is part of a two-phase political process launched in December.
One of the main points of contention in the negotiations is the reform of the security forces, which envisages an exit of generals from politics once a civilian government is installed. The proposed reforms include the integration of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group led by Burhan’s deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, into the regular army. The RSF emerged from the Popular Defence Forces, also known as “Janjaweed”, which al-Bashir unleashed against non-Arab rebels in Darfur in 2003. The militia has been accused of war crimes by rights groups.
Despite concerns about rivalries between Burhan and Daglo, the two men appeared together last week in Khartoum to advocate for successful integration. However, talks have stalled over disputes about the timetable for the RSF’s integration. The army wants the group to be integrated into it by the end of the two-year transitional period and wants an assessment of the officers and ranks of the RSF. The RSF, which has repeatedly stated that it is part of the military, wants to be integrated on its own terms.
A technical committee is working to reach an agreement within the next five days so that a final deal can be signed on April 6. The December agreement, which was criticized by some as being vague, was agreed upon by Burhan and multiple factions after near-weekly protests since the 2021 coup. The delay in the signing of the political agreement underscores the challenges facing Sudan as it seeks to transition to civilian-led rule and democratic elections.