Sudan opposition voices concern over power-sharing deal

Sudan’s Civil Forces Assembly (CFA), an opposition faction in the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), voiced reservations over a political agreement signed between the country’s ruling military council and the FFC.

“The political agreement with the Transitional Military Council [TMC] has shortcomings and gaps that must be handled to protect the [Sudanese] revolution,” the CFA said in a statement published on its official Facebook page.

According to CFA, the signed agreement would lead to the TMC’s dominance over security and military affairs in Sudan during the 3-year-long agreed transitional phase.

“The political agreement ignored the demands of the revolution, which is to move forward towards civil authority and a government of technocrat,” the CFA said.

The agreement, according to the CFA’s statement, has also ignored the demands of the FFC’s right on 67% of seats in parliament in accordance with an earlier agreement reached with the TMC.

On Wednesday, the ruling TMC and opposition FFC coalition initialed a power-sharing deal in Khartoum after marathon talks, in a move that paves the way for the handover of power to a civilian administration.

Under the deal, Sudan's transition period will be three years, ending with general elections.

An 11-member sovereign council will also be formed, five members of whom will be picked up by the opposition and five by the military and one independent to be agreed on by the two rivals. A council of ministers will be formed by the FFC.

Sudan has been in turmoil since the military deposed autocrat Omar al-Bashir in April after months of popular protests against his 30-year rule.