Two days ago, we wrote about the new agreement between Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, the commander of the Sudanese army, and Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, who returned to his position once again by virtue of the new agreement with Al-Burhan and Hemeti.
– Hamdok, when he returned, said that preserving the economic gains achieved during the past two years was among the reasons that prompted him to return to his position under an agreement with the army, about a month after his dismissal after the army took control of the country.
Hamdok’s comrades from prominent political parties and the main protest movement in Sudan opposed his decision to sign the agreement with the army, and some saw it as “giving the coup a political cover.”
What are the developments in the situation in Sudan after the new agreement? What is expected in the coming days? This is what we are going to talk about in the current post
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What is happening?
Since the signing of this new agreement, Sudan has been in a state of “cautious anticipation.” We clearly have a gathering of Sudanese professionals who described the agreement as treason, and considered it a legitimation of the military coup carried out by Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, and that Hamdouk committed suicide politically by agreement, and it is the Sudanese youth who will determine Sudan’s future.
The Congress and Communist Parties, the Darfur Bar Association and the Sudan Liberation Army, who considered the agreement to prevent the establishment of a civil and democratic state, shared the same opinion.
After the implementation of the release of political detainees who were arrested on October 25 after the coup, including politicians, ministers and others, 12 ministers in Abdullah Hamdok’s government, who are affiliated with the Sudanese Professionals Association and the Forces for Freedom and Change, submitted their resignations from the government to the President Ministers Hamdok, to consider his return legitimization of the coup.
They explained in a statement that the resignations were submitted by Maryam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministers of Justice, Agriculture, Irrigation, Investment, Energy, Higher Education, Labor, Transport, Health, Youth and Sports, and Religious Affairs.
– As for the rest of the five ministers affiliated with the Coalition of Forces of Freedom and Change, and they are the Ministers of Information and Communications, they were not able to attend the consultative meeting of the ministers who submitted their resignations, in addition to the presence of two ministers, Khaled Omar Youssef, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, Minister of Industry, who are still in detention, Therefore, they could not express their opinion.
– In many Sudanese cities, demonstrations came out rejecting the agreement and demanding an end to partnership with the military and full civilian rule, and an investigation and accountability for those responsible for the killing of 41 people during the protests from October 25
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On the other hand, Abdullah Hamdouk appeared in his first press interview after his return, and confirmed that what happened on October 25 was an unconstitutional seizure of power by the army, and it can only be defined as a military coup, but he returned in the hope of restoring the path of democratic transition again. And that Sudan is interfering in international isolation and reversing the debt-raising, and that it hopes to reach a consensus that achieves democratic transformation and prevents the recurrence of the coup again, and that this is the best possible thing in the current circumstances, and what could go wrong if the current agreement is not working.
Hamdok said frankly, “Among the reasons for my return is to preserve economic gains and economic openness to the world.”
– Hamdok spoke with satisfaction about the moments of the coup, and that a large group of military leaders entered his house at 3 in the morning, and they told him that the constitutional document and the government would be changed, while reassuring him that he would remain prime minister but under house arrest, and hours later he was informed that he would be detained in another place They have already moved him to another house far from his home.
– I also spoke to Hamdok about the conditions of his imprisonment, and he said that although I was imprisoned in a house, but imprisonment, even for an hour, even if it was in a palace, not a cell, is the same feeling. The Sudanese people shed blood for freedom.
– Hamdok, I spoke about the Coalition for Freedom and Change, and asked them to focus on communicating with citizens and searching for what is beyond the transitional period, and that the real legitimacy will be gained from the parliamentary and presidential elections, which is much more important than the interim authority in the transitional period over which a year and a half was left, and whose legitimacy is neither permanent nor stable.
Hamdok’s view is that the technocratic government can help improve the Sudanese economy, which has been suffering from a long crisis that witnessed one of the highest inflation rates in the world, along with a shortage of basic commodities.
– With continued cautious anticipation of the course of the coming days, in which there are questions about Hamdok’s powers, the fate of the constitutional document after the new amendment that was approved in Hamdok’s agreement with Al-Burhan, and about the form of the new government, which is supposed to be a government of technocrats, and about the gathering of professionals and the Freedom and Change coalition and their participation in the work politics after the new agreement.
– Hamdok affirmed his respect for those who disagree with the agreement and those who are angry with it, especially the youth, but the main motive for him in the agreement is to save blood and stop violations against citizens, and consensus and negotiation will preserve blood and restore once again the course of elections and democratic transformation.
Hamdok focused on building the Electoral Commission, finalizing the constitution and the transitional period with minimal losses.
– Hamdok on his schedule said that his government may also work to complete a peace agreement signed last year with some rebel groups to end years of conflict, and said that “preserving peace, implementing the Juba Agreement, and completing the peace process with the parties that did not sign the Juba Agreement are at the top of the agenda.” new government”
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What is the position of the international community?
The United States and Western countries welcomed the new agreement, and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed optimism after the agreement was announced, but warned the authorities against using “excessive force to suppress protests.”
“I am encouraged by reports that the talks in Khartoum will lead to the release of all political prisoners, the return of Prime Minister Hamdok to office, the lifting of the state of emergency, and the resumption of coordination,” Blinken wrote.
He said, “I also repeat our call to the security forces to refrain from using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators,” but he warned at the same time that America will not provide any aid to Sudan unless it sees significant and real progress in the process of democratic transition.
The African Union described the agreement as an “important step towards returning to respect for the constitution,” and called on both parties to the agreement to implement it fully and effectively.
A statement was also issued by the United Nations emphasizing “the need to protect the constitutional order in order to protect freedom of political action, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” and several welcoming statements were issued by the European Union and Britain.
Arab statements praised the agreement, for example, a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry praising “the wisdom and responsibility of the Sudanese parties in reaching a consensus on the success of the transitional period in a manner that serves Sudan’s supreme interests.”
– Saudi Arabia also welcomed the findings of the parties to the transitional period, and the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the stability and continuity of the Kingdom’s supportive position to achieve peace, security and stability in Sudan
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What is expected in the coming period?
The truth is that predicting the fate of the coming days in Sudan is very difficult, but it may be clear that one of the army’s motives in completing the agreement with Hamdok was to create a clear division between the components of the civil forces, and this is what actually happened and made Hamdok seem to have no supporters, popular backers, or A politician based on him is his international reputation, which prompted many international parties to mediate and negotiate for his release.
– There are legitimate fears that after the wheel runs and things settle down, he will be sacrificed, at a time when the street will be angry with him in the first place.
But at the same time, Sudan’s position is still dependent on progress in the transitional period, because there is no welcome or support for the position of Al-Burhan from any party, and therefore the continuation of the legitimacy of the new situation depends on Abdullah Hamdouk’s survival for a period that may be long or short.
On the other hand, the forces of freedom and change are in a dilemma, because on the one hand, the continuation of the rule of law will create a new and strong clash with the army, and the army will push the army to make new arrests, and on the other hand, the retreat will appear as a concession, weakness and acceptance of the fait accompli, and this may not be acceptable to a section of the Sudanese youth, Although he would welcome other sectors of the Sudanese people to return to life and spare blood and not push the country to the unknown and wait for elections, especially with the continuing divisions of the parties of the Freedom and Change coalition.
– But in all cases resulting from the time of the coup, is the Sudanese army’s onslaught on the constitutional document that obligated it to hand over the presidency of the Sovereign Council to civilians in the current month until the end of the transitional period, and whatever the various motives of the army were, whether it refused to give up power and the material privileges of the army and the rapid support forces, Or the fear of trials and legal prosecutions for some leaders, and the youth of freedom and change provoked them with it more than once, but in the end the army leadership continues to rule until further notice.
– The small team around Hamdok saw that the political agreement could pave the way for a broad national dialogue that includes all the forces of the country, but so far there are no guarantees for the Sudanese
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on the sidelines
– The success and steadfastness of the Sudanese for about a month will remain something that every Arab and every advocate of freedom and democracy should be proud of, because these sacrifices are currently subject to political quarrels and balances of power, which does not prevent that it was a lesson from the lessons of democratic transformation that the Sudanese presented to the whole world with all sacrifice and sincerity.
Hamdok and the agreement put the civilian Sudanese political forces in the face of the street and the ceiling of its high demands, and this will require wisdom of a special kind and a new kind of settlement with the rules before it is with the political system or the army.
– Working to find internal guarantees for the army’s commitment to a smooth transfer of power, which will be the most difficult process for Hamdok and other political forces, because relying only on external support cannot be the only engine and pressure, and clashing with the mood of the movement will also be difficult, and it is also necessary to take into account people who are not The politicization that needs things calm down and the economy stabilizes, because the army always tries to play in this category.
The point of the economy will be pivotal here because Hamdok and his economic team must review themselves in the violent economic reform program that is working since he says that he is interested in the economy and economic gains, because since Hamdok was appointed prime minister for the first time in 2019 under a power-sharing agreement after the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir, it has been implemented. Sudan has economic reforms, including raising fuel subsidies and floating the currency in an organized manner. Of course, these policies have led in some way to the existence of a social economic crisis among the people and an increased poverty rate.
– Of course, if there is an elected government, it will be able to take sensitive decisions with regard to economic reform, but the main concern of everyone should really be to reach this point with the least amount of losses.
Ward Hamdok succeeds in building the consensus that he dreams of for elections, democratic transition and the continuation of international economic support for Sudan. This is a very difficult task and it is required that civilians help him. This is certainly not what we all want.
Greetings to the martyrs of the Sudanese people in their continuous resistance to the military dictatorship, and I hope to see one day those who caused the bloodshed of the Sudanese to come to trial.
All our wishes to our brothers and people in Sudan that they can reach the best solutions that put their country on the right path.
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