Sovereignty Council of Sudan facts for kids

The Sovereignty Council of Sudan was like a team of leaders for the country of Sudan. It had eleven members and acted as the main leader from August 20, 2019, until October 25, 2021.

This council was created by an important document called the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration. It was meant to lead Sudan for about 39 months, helping the country move towards a more democratic government. However, it was dissolved earlier than planned in October 2021.

The council was made up of five civilians chosen by a group called the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC). There were also five military members chosen by the Transitional Military Council (TMC). One more civilian member was chosen by both groups together.

For the first 21 months, a military member, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, was the leader (chair) of the council. The plan was for a civilian to lead for the next 18 months. Most members of the council were men, with two women: Aisha Musa el-Said and Raja Nicola. The rules stated that these eleven council members could not run in the next election after their time was over.

A New Start for Sudan

Sudan has had similar "Sovereignty Councils" leading the country before. In 2019, after many months of peaceful protests and a change in leadership, two main groups, the TMC and the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), worked together.

They signed an agreement in July 2019 and then created the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration. This document officially gave the job of leading the country to the new Sovereignty Council.

Who Was on the Council?

The rules said the Sovereignty Council would have five civilians chosen by the FFC. It would also have five military members chosen by the TMC. Plus, there would be one civilian member that both the FFC and TMC agreed upon.

The leader of the council changed over time. For the first 21 months, the military members chose the leader. For the next 18 months, the civilian members chosen by the FFC were supposed to choose the leader.

The military members of the council included:

• Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (who was the first chair)
• Lieutenant-General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as "Hemetti," who was the deputy chair)
• Lieutenant-General Yasser al-Atta
• General Shams al-Din Khabbashi
• Major-General Ibrahim Jabir Karim

The five civilians chosen by the FFC were:

• Aisha Musa el-Said
• Siddiq Tawer
• Mohamed al-Faki Suleiman
• Hassan Sheikh Idris
• Mohammed Hassan Osman al-Ta'ishi

The civilian member chosen by both the FFC and TMC was Raja Nicola. She is a member of the Sudanese Copt community, which is a Christian group. Her selection showed respect for the different groups and religions in Sudan.

Later, in February 2021, three more members were added to the council. These new members were leaders from different groups:

• El Hadi Idris Yahya
• Malik Agar
• El Tahrir Abubakr Hajar

List of Members

The council eventually had fourteen members:

Women in Leadership

The Sovereignty Council had two women members out of eleven: Aisha Musa el-Said and Raja Nicola. At a lower level, Siham Osman was nominated to a high position in the Ministry of Justice.

Many women in Sudan felt they played a very important role in the changes that happened in 2019. Groups like the Sudanese Women's Union believed that women should have an equal share in leadership roles at all levels.

Not Running for Election

According to the rules, the eleven original members of the Sovereignty Council were not allowed to run in the next general election. This rule also applied to ministers and other senior leaders during the transition period.

What the Council Could Do

The Sovereignty Council had many important powers. It could:

• Choose the Prime Minister
• Confirm leaders of certain government bodies
• Declare war or a state of emergency
• Sign and approve national and international agreements

Working Together

Sometimes, there were discussions about whether the civilian members of the Sovereignty Council were staying within their powers. For example, some groups felt that the council was getting involved in health matters that should have been handled by the Ministry of Health. This showed how important it was for different parts of the government to work together properly.

How Decisions Were Made

When the Sovereignty Council made decisions, they tried to agree on everything. If they couldn't all agree, they needed at least eight out of eleven members to vote for a decision to pass. This is called a two-thirds majority.

What the Council Did

The Sovereignty Council took some important actions during its time.

• In August 2019, they declared a state of emergency in Port Sudan because of tribal clashes.
• In November 2019, the government, with the council's approval, removed old laws that limited women's freedom. These laws had restricted how women could dress, move, and work.

The Council Comes to an End

On October 25, 2021, the leader of the Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, dissolved the council. This happened during a military takeover in Sudan. He announced that a new government, made up of experts and not politicians, would be formed.

See also

In Spanish: Consejo Soberano de Sudán (2019) para niños