Sudan rebel alliance rejects governor appointments

The Presidential Council of the SRF held an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the issue of appointing a civilian governor for Khartoum state. The SRF continues to reject any appointments of governors until a peace agreement has been achieved.

Last Thursday, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok dismissed the military governor of Khartoum state, Lt Gen Ahmed Abdoun, for refusing to ban group prayers in Khartoum mosques during the three-week lockdown. Minister of Governance Yousef El Dei took over until a new governor will be appointed.

Earlier this week, the SRF repeated it does not agree with the appointment of civilian governors at this stage. Such a step would constitute “a violation of the Juba Declaration of Principles”, the roadmap for the peace talks signed by the Sudanese government and the rebel movements in September last year. It was agreed that civilian governors would only be appointed after a peace accord has been reached.

In November, it was expected that a peace agreement would be reached in the beginning of 2020. At the end of February, the Sudanese government proposed that ‘temporary civilian governors’ should be appointed “to fill the current, pressing administrative gap in the 18 Sudan states”. The SRF disagreed with that proposal.

In a statement yesterday, the SRF renewed its demand for an acceleration of the negotiations to resolve all outstanding issues and reach a peace agreement before the new deadline of May 9.

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