Abdalla Hamdok Reinstated as Prime Minister of Sudan

Khortoum, MINA – Abdalla Hamdok was reinstated as Prime Minister of Sudan on Sunday after signing a political agreement with the military.

The deal was signed by Hamdok and General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the military council with the aim of ending a crisis that threatens to undermine Sudan’s political transition, Anadolu Agency reported.

The 14-point deal stipulates that a 2019 political declaration will be the basis for a transition in Sudan and elections to be held in 2023 as scheduled. It also arranges for the prime minister to form a “Cabinet of technocrats”.

The agreement also calls for the creation of all transitional institutions, including legislative councils and constitutional courts, as well as the appointment of attorney generals and chief justices.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Khartoum, Hamdok said the political agreement would improve the path of revolution and political transition in Sudan.

“The signing of this framework of political agreement will open the door to address all the pending problems of the transition period over the past two years and under this partnership we have managed to achieve a lot,” Hamdok said.

“We have brought Sudan back into the international community, lifted his name from the terrorist blacklist and many other achievements. However, we still have many challenges ahead,” he added.

Al-Burhan said the agreement was the first step to resolving the crisis facing the political transition in Sudan.

He added that dialogue would be held with all political parties in Sudan, except for the former ruling party of ousted President Omar al-Bashir.

While ahead of the signing ceremony, the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), Sudan’s main civilian coalition that has shared power with the military, said it did not recognize the deal to return Hamdok.

“We affirm our clear and previously announced position: no negotiation, no partnership and no legitimacy for the putchists,” the FFC said in a statement.

On October 25, Head of Military Council Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency and dissolved the transitional Sovereign Council and government amid protests and competing accusations between the country’s military and politicians.

Al-Burhan argued the move was meant to protect the country from imminent danger and accused those who resisted his move of stirring up chaos.

Prior to the military takeover, Sudan’s government was run by a sovereign council of military and civilian officials who oversee the transition period until elections are held in 2023 as part of a power-sharing pact between the military and the FFC. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)