Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its allies have signed a transitional constitution, laying the groundwork for the establishment of a parallel government, a coalition member confirmed on Tuesday.
“The constitutional document was signed in Nairobi last night by all parties involved in the signing of the founding charter,” said Ahmed Tuqud Lisan, a member of the preparatory committee of the Sudan Founding Alliance, in an interview with AFP.
For nearly two years, Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal conflict between the RSF and the regular army, displacing more than 12 million people and creating what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst hunger and displacement crisis.
Last week, the RSF and its political and military allies pledged to establish a “government of peace and unity” in regions under their control.
The newly signed transitional constitution outlines the objectives of the transitional period, a decentralised governance system, and the structure of the executive authority, Lisan explained. The next step, he said, would be the announcement of the government, which will be “formed inside Sudan.”
Kenya’s role in hosting the RSF and its allies has drawn criticism.
Sudan’s army-aligned government recalled its ambassador from Nairobi last month, accusing Kenyan President William Ruto of acting in his “commercial and personal interests with the militia’s regional sponsors.”
This is widely seen as a reference to the United Arab Emirates, which Sudan’s government and Western powers have accused of backing the RSF—an allegation the UAE denies.
In January, Kenya signed an economic partnership agreement with the UAE.
The RSF’s constitution, reviewed by AFP, was signed by 24 parties, including RSF deputy leader Abdel Rahim Daglo.
The ongoing war has divided Sudan into two distinct zones, with the army maintaining control over the north and east, while the RSF dominates nearly all of the western Darfur region and large parts of the south.
