Latest reports suggest Sudan’s military leaders have finally reached an agreement with the protest and opposition alliance to share power during a transition period leading to elections in the country, reported Reuters.
The deal is likely to finally break weeks of political impasse since the military ousted autocratic President Omar al-Bashir in April.
During a news conference on Friday, African Union mediator Mohamed Hassan Lebatt said the two sides have agreed to “establish a sovereign council by rotation between the military and civilians for a period of three years or slightly more.”
As per the agreed deal, five seats would go to the military and five to civilians, with an additional seat given to a civilian agreed upon by both sides.
Hassan said the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the opposition leaders have also agreed to launch a transparent and independent investigation into the violent event that took place on June 3 when a large number of pro-democracy demonstrators were killed in a brutal military crackdown on a protest camp in the capital, Khartoum. They have also agreed to postpone the establishment of a legislative council.
Gen. Mohamed Hamdan, deputy head of the Transitional Military Council, said the agreement is comprehensive and does not exclude anyone.
“We thank the African and Ethiopian mediators for their efforts and patience,” Hamdan added.
In a statement released on Friday, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) said the transition period would last three years and three months. Elections will then be held once this transition period ends. It said that the military would lead the sovereign council for the first 21 months, and a civilian would take over for the remaining 18 months. A legislative council will be formed after the appointment of the sovereign council and the cabinet.
In Khartoum, thousands of people came out on the streets to celebrate the breakthrough when the news broke.
