Countries issue joint statement on the November 21 Political Agreement in Sudan

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom have issued a joint statement on the controversial political agreement that was signed between Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and leader of the military coup, and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok on November 21.

In the statement, the countries state that they are ‘encouraged’ by the political agreement and the reinstation of Hamdok as Prime Minister of Sudan.

“This is a first step to resolving Sudan’s political challenges and returning the country to its transition to democracy based on the 2019 Constitutional Document,” the statement read.

The countries urged the signatories to live up to the commitments made in the political agreement, including the commitment to lift the state of emergency in the near future.

They also appreciated the "recent releases of political detainees, and the establishment of a committee of investigation to ensure that those responsible for violence against protestors are held accountable.”

“We encourage the early progress towards the formation of a civilian government comprised of independent experts,” the statement reads.

The nations also urged “early progress towards the political declaration and partnership framework promised in the 21 November agreement,” and stressed the importance of inviting all components of the 2019 civilian-military partnership to participate in this ‘dialogue process’. 

They further stressed the importance of the early publication of “a credible roadmap towards elections in late 2023 or early 2024”.

'The ongoing protests demonstrate the depth of the Sudanese people’s commitment to transition'

“We affirm our collective and individual support for the people of Sudan and their aspirations for a democratic, stable and peaceful nation. The ongoing protests demonstrate the depth of the Sudanese people’s commitment to transition. Protecting them from violence should remain a priority.”

Saudi Arabia, the UnAE, the USA, and the UK reaffirmed their readiness to support those working for the democratic transition in Sudan.“We will continue to show solidarity with all those working towards ach ieving this transition.  We also fully support the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) in implementation of its mandate,” the statement concluded.