Sudan's military-led Sovereign Council says an agreement has been reached with opposition groups on ending the country's months-long political crisis.
A statement by the ruling council did not give details of the deal, but a leaked draft seen by The National on Sunday provides for unspecified structural reforms of the armed forces and security and intelligence agencies, a long-standing demand of pro-democracy groups.
It also provides for the powerful Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary to be placed under the army's command, with the head of state as its supreme commander.
Commercial companies owned and run by the military will be placed under the supervision of the Finance Ministry, according to the leaked draft, and the creation of such business ventures will be banned in future — both key demands of the opposition.
The announcement of a final agreement on Saturday came nearly 10 weeks after the military and the main opposition coalition, the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), reached a preliminary deal to restore Sudan's democratic transition that was derailed when army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan seized power in October 2021.
The FFC and other major political stakeholders have yet to comment on the announcement.
The December 4 deal provided for the military to quit politics and for a civilian prime minister to be named to steer the country for 24 months until elections are held.
But it left important issues, such as transitional justice and the restructuring of the armed forces and security agencies, to be decided later. Negotiations on these began last month and, according to Saturday's statement, have been successfully concluded.
“There has been an agreement on the final version of a political declaration after a comprehensive discussion carried out in a high patriotic spirit that paid heed to the nation's interests, as well as the success of the democratic transition period,” the council said.
The council said the deal was reached after three days of negotiations involving Gen Al Burhan, his deputy, RSF commander Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and civilian signatories to the December deal, as well as parties who did not sign the agreement.
Saturday's announcement coincided with the presence in Khartoum of envoys from the US, Britain, France, Norway and Germany, some of Sudan's main backers. They joined delegates from the UN, African Union and the regional IGAD grouping, for talks with senior generals and political stakeholders last week.
An agreement that restores Sudan's democratic transition would mean the resumption of billions of dollars of aid and debt forgiveness suspended by the West and international financial agencies in response to the October 2021 coup.
The military takeover unleashed a wave of street protests in which more than 120 people died and 6,000 were injured; and plunged the country into its deepest economic crisis in living memory.
According to the draft of the agreement, the incoming transitional government will convene a national dialogue with international participation to facilitate transitional justice, which the UN defines as “an approach to systematic or massive violations of human rights that both provides redress to victims and creates or enhances opportunities for the transformation of the political systems, conflicts, and other conditions that may have been at the root of the abuses”.
“An end must be found for the phenomenon of escaping justice or accountability for crimes, genocide and breaches of international human rights laws,” the draft says.
That was an implicit reference to violence against civilians during the civil war in the western Darfur region in the 2000s, the breaking up of a sit-in protest outside the military headquarters in June 2019, and during the protests following the 2021 coup.
The draft also includes a clause on the resumption of the dismantling of the “June regime” — a reference to the 29-year rule of dictator Omar Al Bashir, who was toppled by the military in April 2019 following months of street protests. It also stipulates the “revision” of decrees issued since the 2021 coup that reversed or suspended moves against Al Bashir loyalists.
UPI facts
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Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Two-step truce
The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.
The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.
The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.
Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.
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Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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