The United States (US) on Tuesday called for rapid progress in the transfer of military to civilian rule in Sudan and threatened sanctions on anyone impeding or blocking the process, reported Yahoo News.
Richard Mills, the deputy US ambassador at the United Nations, said Washington supports a joint effort led by the U.N. political mission in Sudan, the African Union (AU), and the eight-nation regional group IGAD to facilitate a swift shift to democracy.
Addressing the Security Council, Mills strongly encouraged Sudanese civilians and the military to use this process to move quickly on the framework for a civilian-led transitional government.
Sudan has been in turmoil since an October military coup that delayed its short-lived transition to democracy after three decades of rule by strongman Omar al-Bashir. Al-Bashir and his Islamist-backed government were ousted following a popular uprising in April 2019.
The military takeover resulted in mass protests demanding a return to civilian rule and a crackdown on protesters by security forces.
Two of the main protest groups, the Sudanese Professionals Association and the Resistance Committees, continue to demand the removal of the military from power and the establishment of a fully civilian government.
The ruling military body says it will hand over power only to an elected administration. The ruling body has set the elections in July 2023 as planned in a constitutional document governing the transitional period.
Mills said he is hoping that the dialogue facilitated by the U.N., AU, and the East African IGAD regional group will succeed and soon.
The US envoy said the transfer of power to a civilian-led government will enable the resumption of international financial support and development assistance that is desperately needed.
“To make sure that progress happens, and that the people of Sudan are well-served, we are prepared to levy consequences on those who impede or otherwise spoil Sudan’s transition to democracy,” he added.
