Declaration of Principles between the Transitional Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North

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Country/entity: Sudan
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Declaration of Principles between the Transitional Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North
Date: 28 Mar 2021
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Sudan Conflicts (1955 - )
Agreements relate to several distinct dyads, and also the negotiated independence of South Sudan, and subsequent internal conflict in South Sudan. Sudan-South Sudan. The long-standing conflict between the north and the south of the country dates back to colonial times, where the British introduced a so-called ‘Southern Policy’, severely hampering population movements between these big regions. Immediately after gaining independence in 1956, southern movements started to fight for independence; this fight became professionalised in 1983 with the foundation of the soon internationally supported Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). When the Islamic Front government introduced strict sharia laws in the south after it took over power in 1988 the war intensified. A decade later, the military situation reached a stalemate, enabling internationally facilitated peace negotiations to begin in 1997. After more fighting, a final negotiation push began in 2002, leading to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Areement (CPA) in January 2005.

Sudan-South Sudan post referendum. South Sudan became independent in July 2011; since then, relations between the two countries are complicated and violent conflict led by the SPLM (North) in the Sudanese Nuba mountains region has since intensified.

Darfur. Other long-standing violent conflicts are in the east and the west of the country. In the east, the Beja Congress, established in 1957, is the spearhead of a currently ‘peaceful’ opposition movement. In the west, the violent conflict in Darfur intensified in the early 2000s and rapidly gained international attention, even resulting in genocide charges against leading figures of the Sudanese government. The situation on the ground is complex, with over a dozen organisations (most notably the Sudanese Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement) fighting the Sudanese government and allied groups like the Janjaweed – although all parties have switched sides on numerous occasions. Several mediation attempts have not been successful, due to the shaky commitment of the Sudanese central government and the distrust among the armed opposition.

South Sudan - internal
In December 2013, after president Salva Kiir accused opposition leader Riek Machar of attempting a coup, violent conflict broke out between government forces of the SPLM/A and anti-governmental groups. In addition, several other political militias as well as communal militias have joined the conflict. In 2015 the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) was signed. Due to unsuccessful implementation the agreement was revitalized in 2018. In September 2019, Kiir and Machar agreed to establish a power-sharing government after struggles on forming a unity transitional government.
Stage: Framework/substantive - partial
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Sudan Transition Process
Parties: Signatories:

Gen. Abdulfatah El-Burhan Abdulrahman, Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Republic of Sudan

CDR. Abdalaziz Adam Al-Hilu, Chairman, Sudan People's Liberation Movement / Army - North, SPLM/A-N
Third parties: Witnesses:
Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan

Gov. David M. Beasley, Executive Director, World Food Programme
Description: An Agreement between the new transitional government of Sudan and the SPLM/A-N (SPLM-N in text), affirming a commitment to the past agreements (undertaken by previous government), and to secure a ceasefire within the frame of the transition. The Agreement sets out key principles agreed between the parties and brings is a key group that was not a signatory of the Juba Agreement into negotiations.

Agreement document: SD_210328_Declaration of Principles.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Main category: Page 3:
2-6: Human, women and children rights that are enshrined in international covenants and covenants which are ratified shall be incorporated in the peace agreement.

Women, girls and gender

Participation: No specific mention.
Equality: No specific mention.
Particular groups of women: No specific mention.
International law: International law→General IHRL, IHL and IL
Page 3:
2-6: Human, women and children rights that are enshrined in international covenants and covenants which are ratified shall be incorporated in the peace agreement.
New institutions: No specific mention.
Violence against women: No specific mention.
Transitional justice: No specific mention.
Institutional reform: No specific mention.
Development: No specific mention.
Implementation: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Declaration of Principles between the Transitional Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement — North

We, the delegations of the transitional Government of the Sudan, hereinafter referred to as (Government of Sudan), and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North, hereinafter referred to as (the SPLM - N);

Taking in to account all the previous talks that took place between the Government of Sudan and the SPLM - N;

And in mind the sense of the long and continuous suffering of the citizens in war zones, and the damages that the war causes on all Sudanese;

Believing that the glorious December revolution, that the young women and men of Sudan and the revolutions of the armed struggle movements that imbued with enormous blood and sacrifices, and which have created, a historic opportunity to address the root causes of the Sudanese crisis and build a citizenship state that accommodates all.

Emphasizing the importance of reaching a comprehensive, negotiated peace agreement that puts a logical end to the war in Sudan;

The two parties agree that the following principles form the basis for resolving the conflict in Sudan:

1. The two parties agree to work together to achieve and consolidate the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Sudan.

2 1 Any comprehensive solution to the Sudanese problem requires all parties to recognize and affirm the following:

(A) The history and nature of the conflict in the Sudan confirm that a military solution cannot lead to lasting peace and stability in the country;

(B) A peaceful and just political solution to the conflict in the Sudan must be a common goal of the parties to the negotiation;

2-1: Sudan is racially, ethnically.

religiously and culturally a diverse state;

therefore, this diversity must be fully recognized and managed, and the question of national identity be addressed.

2-2: Emphasize the right of the peoples of the regions of Sudan to manage their affairs through decentralization or federalism.

2-3: The establishment of a civil, democratic, federal State in Sudan, wherein, the freedom of religion, the freedom of belief and religious practices and worship shall be guaranteed to all Sudanese people by separating the identities of culture, region, ethnicity and religion from the State.

No religion shall be imposed on anyone and the

State shall not adopt any official religion.

The State shall be impartial in terms of religious matters and matters of faith and conscience.

The State shall guarantee and protect the freedom of religion and practices.

These principles shall be enshrined in the constitution.

2-4 Personal status laws are based on religion, custom and traditional beliefs in a way that does not conflict with basic rights;

2-5: Achieving justice in the distribution of power and wealth among all the peoples of the Sudanese regions to combat marginalization developmentally, culturally, taking into account the affirmative action of the war regions;

2-6: Human, women and children rights that are enshrined in international covenants and covenants which are ratified shall be incorporated in the peace agreement.

2-7: Emphasize that the government of Sudan has taken the necessary measures to accede to international and African human rights charters and covenants that have not been ratified by the Republic of Sudan.

3: Sudan shall have a single professional national army that operates according to a new unified military doctrine that is committed to protecting national security in accordance with the constitution;

security and military institutions shall reflect Sudanese diversity and their allegiance shall be to the country and not to any other political parties or groups.

The process of integration and unification of forces shall be gradual and completed by the end of the transitional period and after resolution of the relationship between religion and state by the constitution as referred to in Paragraph 2-3 herein.

4: Agreement on transitional arrangements between the two parties that include the period.

tasks, mechanisms, budgets and others.

5: What is agreed upon between the two parties Will be considered in the process of developing the constitutional charter to become a permanent constitution at the end of the transitional period.

6: The two parties will agree to a permanent ceasefire once the security arrangements are agreed upon as part of the comprehensive settlement of the conflict in Sudan.