Following an agreement to resume negotiations, the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) and the Transitional Military Council in Sudan have reached an agreement to share power in the country.

Both sides have agreed to establish a sovereign council consisting of 5 military members and 6 civilians. The joint military-civilian council will reportedly “rule the country by rotation “for a period of three years or slightly more,” according to Mohamed Hassan Lebatt, an African Union (AU) mediator, at a news conference on Friday.

“Under the agreement, five seats will go to the military and five to civilians, with an additional seat given to a civilian agreed upon by both sides.”

According to the New York Times, “It was agreed that the first leader would be Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the transitional military council.”

As part of the agreement, an investigation into the violent incidents the country faced in the past weeks will be conducted.

In December 2018, protests began in Sudan against the long term rule of President Omar al-Bashir. Upon his forceful removal by the military in April, the Sudanese military clung to power by forming a Transitional Military Council to serve a two-year transitional government. Unfortunately, this did not bode well with the populace and led to further protests and turmoil.

The AU and Ethiopia led mediations between the two sides –the military and protesters– and called for peaceful negotiations.

AU mediator, Mohamed Hassan Labatt, said: “The two sides agreed on establishing a sovereign council with a rotating military and civilian [presidency] for a period of three years or a little more.”

The Sudanese Professional Association, in a Facebook post, summarized the agreement as:

The full transition period of three years and three months is as follows:

The first six months of the peace process.

The first twenty-one months – including the first six months – will be the head of the military.

The last eighteen months to be the president of civilians.

A Cabinet of national competencies formed by the forces of freedom and change.

The Sovereign Council consisting of five military and five civilians, as well as a civilian member, agreed by the parties (total eleven).

Postponement of the Legislative Council after the formation of the sovereign council and the council of ministers

A Joint Technical Commission of two legal officers with African participation that will complete its work within 48 hours from Saturday morning in order to sign the final political agreement.

Independent National Commission of inquiry for events since April 11, 2019.