Interim Political Declaration opens door to Sudanese Democracy
The Government of Sudan announced a new agreement that many hope will bring peace and democracy to the country. Here is the release:
The signing of the Political Declaration and the Constitutional Document of the Interim Period on August 17th, 2019, opened a new chapter in the history of Sudan. The President of the Sovereign Council (SC) and the Members of the Council as well as the Prime Minister took the oath of office on August 21st, 2019 heralding the establishment of the civilian institutions that will govern the country in the 39-month transitional period. Consultations are under way to form the Cabinet as well as the Transitional Legislative Assembly.
Special Envoy Gration with Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the Arab League (to SE Gration’s right), and members of their staffs. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
These are historical milestones in Sudan’s democratic transition, yet they represent the first step in a thousand -mile arduous journey. The country begins this complex transformative process amid a host of economic, political, security, social, and diplomatic challenges that can only be overcome though a robust and concerted efforts from Sudan’s friends and partners.
The United States’ diplomatic engagement and leadership is important for the success of the transitional period, the consolidation of democracy as well as in unleashing Sudan’s huge economic and political potential. Khartoum – Washington bilateral dialogue has to be resumed immediately to focus on the most pressing issues. Achieving peace in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, delisting Sudan from the States Sponsors of Terrorism list and normalizing Sudan’s relations with the international financial institutions are the key priorities of the interim period that has to be the core of this dialogue.
The Embassy, while renewing Sudan’s gratefulness to the United States and to all friends of Sudan for their contribution to the birth of these transitional institutions, is looking forward for opening a new page in the two countries’ relations. Our joint efforts can make a difference and contribute to shaping a better future for all the Sudanese.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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