New discussions on formation of Sudanese govt

Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok met with a delegation of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) yesterday to discuss the formation of a new cabinet. He stressed that choosing the new ministers will be subject to the criteria all parties have agreed upon, including fair representation of women.

Hamdok also stressed the importance of unity within the FFC.

Prof Mohamed Wadaa from the Sudanese Baath Party said in a press statement yesterday that the FFC delegation presented its vision on how to solve the economic and security crises. That will require a strong government that represents all sectors of the revolutionary forces and the FFC, Wadaa said.

The National Umma Party (NUP) announced its unconditional support for the Prime Minister and his transitional government. The party considers the transitional government the result of the “civil revolution”. It stated that the Sudanese people still pin all their hopes on the transitional government. According to the NUP the prime minister has absolute freedom to choose his ministers, taking into account the “balance required to achieve the desired transformation”. The ministers must also have the right competences.

The party rejects quotas or the exclusion of any groups from the revolution, the press statement said. At the same time the NUP demands fair representation of all groups within the FFC coalition in the future government and the Legislative Council.

SRF rebel alliance

Dhieu Mathok, deputy chairman of the South Sudanese mediation committee currently visiting Khartoum, met with a delegation from the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) rebel alliance yesterday. He stated afterwards that the SRF rebel movements, which signed the Juba Peace Agreement with the Sudanese government in October 2020, will hand over their nominations for the Council of Ministers, the Sovereign Council and the Legislative Council today (Monday).

Two weeks ago the FFC reported that a new Sudanese government, which will include members of the rebel movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement, would be announced that week. Last week, however, it became clear that the FFC was internally divided about the formation of a new cabinet.

Eastern track

The High Council of Beja Nazirs and Independent Chieftains announced that the government's will set up a separate forum to achieve peace in eastern Sudan after meeting Deputy President of the Sovereign Council Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’.

The leader of the council, Hamid Haj, thanked the government for its interest in “eastern issues”. He stressed that the High Council of Beja Nazirs and Independent Chieftains adheres to the outcomes of last September’s Sinkat conference, which include the right to selfdetermination for the eastern region (Red Sea state, Kassala and El Gedaref). Haj also stated that the council is working on “reviewing previous agreements on eastern Sudan”.

Two weeks ago, Sovereign Council member Lt Gen Shamseldin Kabashi travelled to Juba for a one-day visit, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Omar Gamreldin, Osama Saeed, chairperson of the Beja Opposition Conference who headed the negotiation delegation for the eastern Sudan track, and Khaled Idris, leader of the eastern Sudanese Popular Front for Liberation and Justice.

In a joint press conference with Tut Galuak, head of the South Sudanese peace mediation team yesterday, Kabashi described the eastern Sudan track protocol in the Peace Agreement as “comprehensive”, and said it should not be frozen or suspended. Kabashi stressed that the Sudanese government will definitely implement the eastern Sudan track protocol, which is part of the Juba Peace Agreement.

He also affirmed the government's commitment to removing all obstacles for the implementation of the protocol. “The text of the eastern Sudan agreement will be adjusted on a number of points in the coming days,” he said.

Beja leaders have opposed the eastern track agreement  from the moment the negotiations about it were finalised in February 2020.

* A nazir is a state-appointed administrative chief of a tribe, according to the Native Administration system in Sudan.