Guterres hopes that the agreement in Sudan "paves the way for a return to a civilian-led transition"

The UN calls on "all actors" to "work without delay" for a "durable and inclusive" pact

MADRID, 6 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has expressed his hope that the 'framework agreement' signed on Monday between the Sudanese Army and various opposition groups "pave the way for a return to a transition led by civilians", after the deepening of the crisis due to the coup d'état of October 2021.

Guterres has called on "all Sudanese actors" to "work without delay in the next phase of the transition process to address pending issues with a view to achieving a lasting and inclusive political agreement," according to his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric.

"The UN, through the trilateral mechanism comprising the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), remains committed to supporting the process", he said, before reaffirming that the international organization "will continue to support the aspirations of the Sudanese people for democracy, peace and sustainable development".

The agreement was signed on Monday by the military authorities and the civil coalition Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), as well as other formations and political and civil groups, with the aim of relaunching the transition process, hard hit after the coup. of State led in 2021 by the head of the Army and president of the Sovereign Transition Council, Abdelfatá al Burhan.

The main clauses of this 'framework agreement' are the application of the agreement signed in Juba in 2020 with various rebel groups and a balanced foreign policy stance, as well as complying with international Human Rights standards and emphasizing a professional Army. and unified system that protects borders and the rule of law.

The agreement has the objective of holding elections within two years to consolidate the democratization process opened after the April 2019 coup against the then president, Omar Hasan al Bashir, which led to transitional authorities headed by Abdalá Hamdok and shot down in the aforementioned Al Burhan coup in 2021.

Despite the fact that Hamdok, arrested after the coup, returned to office in November 2021 after an agreement signed with Al Burhan amid international pressure, he finally left office after denouncing the bloody repression of protests against the coup in the country. African country, which has resulted in more than a hundred deaths at the hands of the security forces.

Al Burhan announced in July that he was stepping aside to allow civil parties and organizations to agree on a new government. Thus, he assured that the Army would not participate in the negotiations and urged the political forces to promote a "serious dialogue immediately" to "restore the unity of the Sudanese people", a decision applauded by the international community.