Transitional Sovereignty Council
{{Short description|Collective head of state of Sudan since 2019}}
{{Other uses|Sudanese Sovereignty Council (disambiguation){{!}}Sudanese Sovereignty Council}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox executive government
| nativename = {{native name|ar|مجلس السيادة الإنتقالي}}
| border =
| image = Logo of the Transitional Sovereignty Council of Sudan (2023).jpg
| image_size = 200px
| alt = Logo of the TSC
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| date_established = {{Start date|2021|11|11|df=y}} (current)
{{Start date|2019|08|20|df=y}} (first)
| date_dissolved = {{End date|2021|10|25|df=y}} (first)
| state = Sudan
| leader_title = Chairman (Abdel Fattah al-Burhan)
| appointed = Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (current)
August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration (first)
| main_organ =
| ministries =
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| url = {{URL|https://www.presidency.gov.sd/eng/}}
}}
{{Politics of Sudan}}
The Transitional Sovereignty Council ({{langx|ar|مجلس السيادة الإنتقالي|translit=Majlis al-Siyādah al-Intiqālī}}){{cite news |last1=Nashed |first1=Mat |title=As Sudan's rival forces vie for power, who pays the price? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/3/21/sudans-rival-security-forces-compete-for-power |access-date=22 March 2023 |work=Al Jazeera |date=21 March 2023}}{{cite web |title=Transitional Sovereignty Council |url=https://twitter.com/TSC_SUDAN |publisher=Twitter |access-date=22 March 2023}} is the collective head of state of Sudan, formed on 20 August 2019, by the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration. It was dissolved by Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in the October 2021 Sudanese coup d'état and reconstituted the following month with new membership,{{cite news |title=Sudan army chief names new governing Sovereign Council |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/11/sudan-army-chief-issues-a-decree-for-new-sovereign-council |access-date=20 March 2023 |work=Al Jazeera |date=11 November 2021}} effectively changing it from a unity government to a military junta.{{cite news |last1=Gavin |first1=Michelle |title=Junta and Public at Odds in Sudan |url=https://www.cfr.org/blog/junta-and-public-odds-sudan |access-date=20 March 2023 |work=Council on Foreign Relations |date=8 April 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Jeffrey |first1=Jack |title=Analysis: Year post-coup, cracks in Sudan's military junta |url=https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-africa-cairo-sudan-democracy-2b87ee19685ec2667ac05acff8b4ed9e |access-date=20 March 2023 |work=Associated Press |date=23 October 2022 |location=Cairo, Egypt}}
Under Article 10.(b) of the Draft Constitutional Declaration, it is composed of five civilians chosen by the Forces of Freedom and Change alliance (FFC), five military representatives chosen by the Transitional Military Council (TMC), and a civilian selected by agreement between the FFC and TMC. The chair for the first 21 months was to be a military member, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and for the remaining 18 months the chair was to be a civilian member, under Article 10.(c). The original Sovereignty Council was mostly male, with only two female members: Aisha Musa el-Said and Raja Nicola. Under Article 19 of the Draft Constitutional Declaration, the Sovereignty Council members are ineligible to run in the election scheduled to follow the transition period.
Background
Sudan had multi-member Sovereignty Councils holding the role of head of state of Sudan several times during the twentieth century. Following more than half a year of sustained civil disobedience and a shift of the presidency from Omar al-Bashir to the Transitional Military Council (TMC) in April 2019 by a coup d'etat, the TMC and the Forces of Freedom and Change alliance (FFC) made a July 2019 Political Agreement and completed it by the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration. Articles 9.(a) and 10.(a) of the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration both transfer the role of head of state to the Sovereignty Council.
Structure and membership
Article 10.(b) of the Draft Constitutional Declaration defines the Sovereignty Council to consist of five civilians chosen by the FFC, five military chosen by the TMC, and a civilian "selected by agreement" between the FFC and TMC.
Under Article 10.(c) of the Draft Constitutional Declaration, for the first 21 months of the 39-month transitional period defined by the document, the chair of the Sovereignty Council was to be chosen by the five military members of the council. For the following 18 months, the chair was to be chosen by the five civilian members selected by the FFC.
The military membership of the Sovereignty Council included General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, General Hemedti, Lieutenant-General Yasser al-Atta, General Shams al-Din Khabbashi and Major-General Ibrahim Jabir Karim.{{Cite web|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201908210290.html|title=Sudan: Constitutional Decree On Appointment of Sovereignty Council Issued|date=21 August 2019|website=allAfrica.com}} Hemedti has been the deputy chairman of the Sovereignty Council in the past.
The five civilians chosen by the FFC are Aisha Musa el-Said of the National Gathering Initiative; Siddiq Tawer, a prominent member of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Region of Sudan (and thereby a member of the National Consensus Forces) from the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan; Mohamed al-Faki Suleiman of the Unionist Gathering from Northern Sudan; Hassan Sheikh Idris (or Hassan Mohamed Idris), a prominent member of the National Umma Party (and thereby a member of Sudan Call) from Kassala; and Mohammed Hassan Osman al-Ta'ishi of the Sudanese Professionals Association. Taha Othman Ishaq (or Osman), a lawyer and member of the FFC negotiating committee, declined his nomination by the FFC to the Sovereignty Council on the grounds that the FFC alliance had earlier agreed that members of the negotiating committee should not become members of the Sovereignty Council.
Raja Nicola was the civilian member of the Sovereignty Council mutually chosen by the FFC and TMC. The choice of Nicola, as a member of the Sudanese Copt community, is seen as a symbol of respect for diversity, in particular to Sudanese Christians.
On 5 February 2021, al-Burhan issued a decree to add three new members to the Council.{{Cite web|title=Sudan Sovereignty Council gains three new members under El Burhan|url=https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-sovereign-council-gains-three-new-members-under-el-burhan|access-date=2021-10-25|website=Radio Dabanga|date=5 February 2021 |language=en}} The new members are Sudanese Revolutionary Front leader El Hadi Idris Yahya, Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North leader Malik Agar, and Sudan Liberation Movement for Justice-Karbino leader El Tahrir Abubakr Hajar.
=List of members=
==2019–2021==
The council had fourteen members as follows:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
- Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (president)
- Hemedti (deputy-chair)
- Yasser al-Atta
- Shams al-Din Khabbashi
- Ibrahim Jabir Karim
- Aisha Musa el-Said
- Siddiq Tawer
- Mohamed al-Faki
- Hassan Sheikh Idris
- Mohammed Hassan al-Ta'ishi
- Raja Nicola
- El Hadi Idris Yahya
- Malik Agar
- El Tahrir Abubakr Hajar
{{div col end}}
==2021–present==
Al-Burhan reinstated the TSC on 11 November 2021 with the same military and rebel members, but with all but one of the civilian members replaced. He left the seat for a civilian representative from Eastern Sudan vacant. The members are:{{cite news |title=Sudan coup leader restores restructured Sovereignty Council |url=https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-coup-leader-restores-restructured-transitional-sovereignty-council |access-date=26 March 2023 |work=Radio Dabanga |date=11 November 2021 |location=Khartoum}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
- Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (president)
- Hemedti (deputy-chair; relieved of his position on the council in 2023)
- Malik Agar (elevated to deputy-chair in 2023){{Cite web |title=Sudan's Burhan dismisses Hemedti of his position |url=https://www.albawaba.com/news/sudans-burhan-dismisses-hemedti-his-position-1519485 |access-date=2023-05-19 |website=Al Bawaba |language=en}}
- Shams al-Din Khabbashi
- Yasser al-Atta
- Ibrahim Jabir Karim
- El Hadi Idris Yahya
- El Tahrir Abubakr Hajar
- Raja Nicola
- Abdulgasim Bortom
- Yousef Jad Karim
- Abdelbagi al-Zubeir
- Salma Abdeljabbar
{{div col end}}
=Proposed reform in 2025=
Amendments made to the transitional constitution in February 2025, propose to maintain the council as the collective head of state of Sudan, and empower it to appoint a prime minister, cabinet, state governors and justices. The reformed council
is to have eleven members, with six nominated by the Sudanese Armed Forces and three from signatories to the peace agreement. https://sudantribune.com/article297812/
=Women's participation=
The Sovereignty Council was mostly male, with two of the eleven members being female: Aisha Musa el-Said and Raja Nicola. At a lower level, Siham Osman was nominated Under-Secretary of the Minister of Justice, and acts on behalf of the Minister of Justice with his authorisation when he is on travels.{{Cite web|title=Interview with Siham Osman: The first woman to hold the position of Under-Secretary at Sudan's Ministry of Justice|url=https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/interview-with-maulana-siham-osman-the-first-woman-to-hold-the-position-of-under-secretary-at-the-ministry-of-justice|access-date=2021-08-01|website=Radio Dabanga|date=23 July 2021 |language=en}}
The Sudanese Women's Union argued that women had played as significant a role as men in the political changes of 2019 and that Sudanese women "claim an equal share of 50-50 with men at all levels, measured by qualifications and capabilities".
=Ineligibility in 2022=
Under Article 19 of the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration, the eleven members of the Sovereignty Council of the transitional period were forbidden (along with ministers and other senior transition leaders) from running in the 2022 Sudanese general election scheduled to end the transitional period.
Powers
Article 11.(a) lists 17 political powers held by the Sovereignty Council, including the appointment of the Prime Minister, confirmation of leaders of certain state bodies, the right to declare war or a state of emergency, and signing and ratifying national and international agreements.
=Separation of powers=
On 24 October, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) claimed that civilian members of the Sovereignty Council violated the constitutional constraints on their power by appearing to coordinate with Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and override the Ministry of Health's role in managing vector control against the spread of dengue fever and chikungunya. The SPA stated, "the campaign appeared to be the scene of direct interaction of the [RSF] with the health situation in the concerned states, in the absence of health departments at the federal or state level. ... [The] whole issue of health is not the prerogative of the Sovereign Council." Sudan Tribune expressed concern that the RSF and its leader Hemetti were trying to improve the RSF's image, damaged by its carrying out of crimes against humanity in the War in Darfur and human rights violations during the 3 June 2019 Khartoum massacre.
Decision-making
Under Article 11.(c) of the Draft Constitutional Declaration, the Sovereignty Council makes decisions either by consensus, or when consensus is not possible, by a two-thirds majority (eight members).
Actions
The Council announced a state of emergency in Port Sudan during tribal clashes which resulted in the death of 16 people on 26 August 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKCN1VG0FE-OZATP|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826093239/https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKCN1VG0FE-OZATP|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 August 2019|title=Sudan's sovereign council declares state of emergency in Port Sudan|date=26 August 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=26 August 2019|language=en}}
In November 2019, Abdalla Hamdok's government repealed all laws restricting women's freedom of dress, movement, association, work and study. On 22 April 2020, the transitional government issued an amendment to its criminal legislation which declares that anyone who performs female genital mutilation either in a medical establishment or elsewhere will be punished by three years' imprisonment and a fine.{{Cite web|title=Sudan criminalises FGM in 'new era' for women's rights|url=https://meo.news/en/sudan-criminalises-fgm-new-era-womens-rights|date=30 April 2020|website=MEO|language=en|access-date=2 May 2020}}
Dissolution
On 25 October 2021, in the 2021 Sudan coup d'état, Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan dissolved the Council and removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok from office.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-politics-burhan-idAFKBN2HF0UV|title=Sudan's Burhan declares state of emergency, dissolves government|publisher=Reuters|date=25 October 2021|accessdate=25 October 2021}}{{Cite web|title='Utterly unacceptable': World reacts to Sudan 'coup'|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/25/world-leaders-react-to-sudan-arrests|access-date=25 October 2021|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=25 October 2021|title=Live: Sudan's General Burhan dissolves government, declares state of emergency|url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20211025-live-sudan-s-armed-forces-detain-pm-hamdok-for-refusing-to-join-coup|access-date=25 October 2021|website=France 24|language=en}} He re-formed the TSC with new membership on November 11, 2021. On November 21, 2021, al-Burhan signed a deal with Hamdok that reinstated him as prime minister, provided for the release of all political prisoners detained in the coup, and restored the 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration.{{cite news |title=Sudan's reinstated PM Hamdok promises a path to democracy |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/22/sudans-reinstated-pm-hamdok-promises-a-path-to-democracy |access-date=22 March 2023 |work=Al Jazeera |date=22 November 2021}}
See also
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite news | title= Sudan opposition coalition appoints five civilian members of sovereign council | date= 18 August 2019 |newspaper= Thomson Reuters | url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-politics/sudan-opposition-coalition-appoints-five-civilian-members-of-sovereign-council-idUSKCN1V80DX |access-date= 18 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190818214934/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-politics/sudan-opposition-coalition-appoints-five-civilian-members-of-sovereign-council-idUSKCN1V80DX |archive-date= 18 August 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news | title= Sudan protest leaders, military sign transitional government deal | date= 17 August 2019 |newspaper= Al Jazeera English | url= https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/sudan-protest-leaders-military-sign-transitional-government-deal-190817122225172.html |access-date= 17 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190817201628/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/sudan-protest-leaders-military-sign-transitional-government-deal-190817122225172.html |archive-date= 17 August 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news |title='Our revolution won': Sudan's opposition lauds deal with military |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/07/sudan-military-council-opposition-reach-power-sharing-agreement-190705013332385.html |access-date=5 July 2019 |newspaper=Al Jazeera English |date=5 July 2019 |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20190706004007/http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/07/sudan-military-council-opposition-reach-power-sharing-agreement-190705013332385.html |archive-date=6 July 2019 }}
{{cite web |last1 = FFC|last2 = TMC |author1-link = Forces of Freedom and Change |author2-link = Transitional Military Council (2019) | last3 =Idris | first3 =Insaf | title = Political Agreement on establishing the structures and institutions of the transitional period between the Transitional Military Council and the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces | newspaper = Radio Dabanga |date =17 July 2019 | url = https://www.dabangasudan.org/uploads/media/5d306eb7c2ab1.pdf | access-date = 18 July 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190718222047/https://www.dabangasudan.org/uploads/media/5d306eb7c2ab1.pdf |archive-date= 18 July 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news | title= Sudan moves towards forming Sovereign Council | date= 19 August 2019 |newspaper= Sudan Tribune | url= https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67956 |access-date= 19 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190818230312/https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67956 |archive-date= 18 August 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news | title= Sudan's Sovereign Council delayed for 48 hours: spokesperson | date= 19 August 2019 |newspaper= Sudan Tribune | url= https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67959 |access-date= 19 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190819121229/https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67959 |archive-date= 19 August 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news | title= Sudanese Women's Union protests FFC nominees | date= 18 August 2019 |newspaper= Radio Dabanga | url= https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudanese-women-union-protests-ffc-nominees |access-date= 19 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190819135016/https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudanese-women-union-protests-ffc-nominees |archive-date= 19 August 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news | title= FFC finally agree on nominees for Sudan's Sovereign Council | date= 20 August 2019 |newspaper= Sudan Tribune | url= https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67962 |access-date= 20 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190820195835/https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67962 |archive-date= 20 August 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news | title= Al-Burham forms Sudan's Sovereign Council | date= 21 August 2019 |newspaper= Sudan Tribune | url= https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67968 |access-date= 21 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190821013342/https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67968 |archive-date= 21 August 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news | title= Sudan's Sovereign Council appointed | date= 21 August 2019 |newspaper= Radio Dabanga | url= https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-s-sovereign-council-appointed |access-date= 21 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190821180608/https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-s-sovereign-council-appointed |archive-date= 21 August 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news | title= Sudanese professionals slam participation of Sovereign Council members in RSF campaign | date= 25 October 2019 | newspaper= Sudan Tribune | url= https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article68372 |access-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191025211440/https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article68372 |archive-date= 25 October 2019 |url-status=live}}
{{cite news | last1= Lynch | first1= Justin | title= Remember The Darfur Genocide? With Saudi Help, One of the Killer Commanders There Is Taking Over Sudan | date= 5 June 2019 | publisher= The Daily Beast | url= https://www.thedailybeast.com/remember-the-darfur-genocide-with-saudi-help-one-of-the-killer-commanders-there-is-taking-over-sudan |access-date= 8 June 2019 |archive-url= http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20200409141745/http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/remember-the-darfur-genocide-with-saudi-help-one-of-the-killer-commanders-there-is-taking-over-sudan |archive-date= 9 April 2020 |url-status=live}}
{{cite web | last1 = Loeb | first1 = Jonathan | title = "Men With No Mercy" – Rapid Support Forces Attacks against Civilians in Darfur, Sudan | website= Human Rights Watch |date = 9 September 2015 | url = https://www.hrw.org/report/2015/09/09/men-no-mercy/rapid-support-forces-attacks-against-civilians-darfur-sudan | access-date = 13 September 2019 |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20190913012023/http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https://www.hrw.org/report/2015/09/09/men-no-mercy/rapid-support-forces-attacks-against-civilians-darfur-sudan |archive-date= 13 September 2019 |url-status=live}}
}}
External links
- {{official website}}
- [https://x.com/TSC_SUDAN Transitional Sovereignty Council on Twitter]
{{presidents of Sudan}}
{{Arab country leaders}}
{{Heads of state of republics}}
{{Sudanese Revolution}}
{{Sudan topics}}
Category:2019 establishments in Sudan
Category:Heads of state of Sudan
Category:Collective heads of state