Photo : Sudan Tribune
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Sudan Tribune
IN BRIEF
by Apoorva Sudhakar
Sudan: Military to make way for civilian government, says Gen Burhan
On 4 July, military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said the military will not involve itself in any national talks and thereby, will pave the way for a civilian government. Burhan said political parties and revolutionary groups should lead the way to install civilian rule. Burhan announced that the current Sovereign Council, consisting of military and civilian leaders, will be dissolved once an executive government is formed. Instead, a Supreme Council of armed forces will be installed. The development comes after thousands of Sudanese held protests across the country; as of 1 July, nine protesters had lost their lives. However, the protesters refused to believe Burhan’s announcement. (“Sudan’s Burhan says army will make way for civilian government,” France24, 4 July 2022)
Mali: ECOWAS lifts economic sanctions
On 3 July, the heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced an immediate lifting of the economic and financial sanctions on Mali. The decision came after Mali released an election timetable to hold presidential elections in February 2023, against the initial plan to conduct the polls in 2026. The presidential elections will be preceded by a referendum on a revised constiution in June 2023, followed by local and legislative elections in October and November 2023. (Annie Risemberg, “ECOWAS Lifts Sanctions Against Mali,” Voice of America, 4 July 2022)