Sudan fails to meet deadline to form civilian govt

When will the Sudanese ruling junta and civilian groups establish a civilian-led transitional government?

The signatories of the deal set to organize a gradual transfer of power to civilians known as Framework agreement, have missed a deadline to advance towards a return to democracy.

According to a timeline set up by the parties, a new prime minister and institutions of the transitional authority should have been announced on Tuesday (Apr. 11).

The deadline lapsed after the parties twice failed to sign a final transition deal over disagreements on the integration of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) into the army.

The point of contention between the two forces concerns the "command and control" of the committee tasked with overseeing the reorganization, Yassir Arman, a member of an umbrella group of pro-democracy factions wrote on Twitter Wednesday (Apr. 5). Neither the army nor the RSF responded to The Associated Press’ request for comment.

Divisions between Sudan's deputy leader - who is the RSF commander- and the military chief and de facto head of Sudan, raises fears of confrontations between the army and the RSF.

In recent weeks, both forces have amassed troops and weapons in and around Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. The army has greatly ramped up its presence in the city center, parking armored vehicles at nearly all junctions leading to the country’s presidential palace.

Beyond the generals, other challenges remain. 

The Framework agreement signed last December has been contested on the streets. Political players, from former rebel leaders to grassroots pro-democracy networks, remain opposed to the deal despite brokered efforts to draw them in.

Sudan has been plunged into chaos after a military coup, in October 2021 removed a government.