‘Clear steps to democratic transformation needed’ before Sudan’s AU suspension can be lifted

The African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye, says that the resumption of Sudan’s activities within the AU are conditional on “taking clear steps towards a constitutional and democratic transformation in Sudan”. Commissioner Adeoye’s remarks follow a written message from the Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yousef to the foreign ministers of the member states of the African Peace and Security Council, prior to a meeting held in Addis Ababa on Friday, in which he called on the African Union to reconsider its assessment of the situation in Sudan in light of recent developments, and the need to lift the suspension of Sudan’s activities. The AU stance chimes with requests by Sudanese opposition parties to include such a condition.

Addressing a press conference in Addis Ababa today, Adeoye said that the relevant committee will study developments related to Sudan in relation to the roadmap announced by the Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and de facto leader of the ruling junta, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan last week, and the request submitted by Sudan’s Foreign Ministry to lift the suspension of its activities.

Following the military coup d’état in April 2019 that deposed the 30-year Omar Al Bashir dictatorship, the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) decided in June 2019 to suspend the participation of Sudan in all AU activities until the effective establishment of a civilian-led government.

In an initial reaction on April 15, 2019, the AUPSC denounced the coup d’état and gave the military junta 15 days to relinquish power to a civilian interim government, on pain of possible suspension of Sudan’s AU membership. A meeting of AU leaders in Cairo on April 23 recommended allowing the junta three months to relinquish power to civilian authority, however at a subsequent meeting in Tunis on May 1, the AUPSC decided on “a final extension of 60 days” to June 6, 2019.

Sudan’s suspension was briefly lifted in 2021, pending the installation of a civilian-led government. The country’s membership was revoked again one month later on October 25. The AU branded the “seizure of power” by the military “unconstitutional.”

In today’s statement, Adeoye said “the African Union mechanisms are clear on lifting sanctions and resuming Sudan’s activities in the union”.

In addition to Sudan, the African Union has also suspended the membership of Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Niger.

The Commissioner called on Sudan and those other countries “to follow the required path in order to resume activities in the Union”.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yousef had sent a written message to the foreign ministers of the member states of the African Peace and Security Council, prior to the meeting held on Friday, in which he called on the African Union to reconsider the African Union’s assessment of the situation in Sudan in light of recent developments, and the need to lift the suspension of Sudan’s activities. He referred to the roadmap announced by the Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and de facto leader of the ruling junta, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan last week

The Civil Democratic Alliance of the Revolutionary Forces, headed by former prime minister Abdullah Hamdok, sent a letter to the African Union, stressing that lifting the suspension of Sudan’s membership in the African Union must be conditional on achieving actual progress in stopping the war and establishing peace, through a legitimate process that leads to a democratic civil transformation.

Hamdok, held closed meetings with commissioner Adeoye prior to the closed meeting held by the Council on Sudan.

‘NCP not invited to Sudanese dialogue’

Commissioner Adeoye, said that the African Union Committee of Experts will launch a dialogue between all Sudanese political forces within days. He explained that the dissolved National Congress Party* is not invited to the dialogue of the Sudanese parties, scheduled to start on February 19 in Addis Ababa.

He called on the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to stop the “bloodbath”. He stressed that the African Union is committed to continuing its efforts to stop the fighting in Sudan and confirmed the African Union’s communication with all actors to resolve the crisis in Sudan.

Yesterday, the African Union elected the Djiboutian Foreign Minister as Chairman of the African Commission, succeeding Chadian Moussa Faki after defeating his Chadian competitor. It also elected the Algerian representative as Vice-Chairman.

Parties in the government expressed their satisfaction with the election of the Djiboutian Foreign Minister, referring to his statements during his recent visit to Port Sudan, during which he announced his support for the Sudanese army.

* The National Congress Party (NCP), established in 1998 by key political figures in the National Islamic Front, dominated politics in Sudan for more than 10 years. It was chaired by President Omar Al Bashir – who was ousted in April 2019, during the December 2018 Revolution. The NCP was dissolved in November 2019.