Joint Agreement (Addis Ababa Agreement)

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Country/entity: Sudan
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Joint Agreement (Addis Ababa Agreement)
Date: 3 Sep 2020
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/territory
Peace process: Sudan Transition Process
Parties: Representatives from the Transitional Government of the Republic of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

Signed by:

H.E. Abdalla Hamdok (Prime Minister of the Republic of the Sudan)

Abdalaziz Adam Alhilu (Chairman and Commander in Chief, Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North)
Third parties: -
Description: A short six point agreement reaffirming the national values of Sudan through reference to the constitution that respect political and social equalities for its citizens. The agreement calls for reform of state governance regarding political and religious freedoms and makes provisions for continued ceasefire between the parties until alternative security arrangements can be agreed and a transition can be made to a new form of governance which recognises the needs of people in the Nuba mountains and the Blue Nile region.

Agreement document: SD_030920_Addis Ababa Agreement.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: Groups→Racial/ethnic/national group→Rhetorical
Page 1,
1. Sudan is a multi-racial. multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society. Full recognition and accommodation of these diversities must be affirmed.
Groups→Racial/ethnic/national group→Substantive
Page 1,
4. The people of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile (the “Two Areas") retain the status quo which includes self-protection until security arrangements are agreed upon by the parties to the conflict and until “separation between religion and state" is actualized.
Religious groups: Groups→Religious groups→Rhetorical
Page 1,
1. Sudan is a multi-racial. multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society. Full recognition and accommodation of these diversities must be affirmed.
Groups→Religious groups→Anti-discrimination
Page 1,
3. A democratic state must be established in the Sudan. For Sudan to become a democratic country where the rights of all citizens are enshrined, the constitution should be based on the principle of "separation of religion and state” in the absence of which the right to self-determination must be respected. Freedom of belief and worship and religious practice shall be guaranteed in full to all Sudanese citizens. The state shall not establish an official religion. No citizen shall be discriminated against based on their religion.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): Page 1,
1. Sudan is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society. Full recognition and accommodation of these diversities must be affirmed.

Page 1,
2. Complete political and social equalities of all peoples in the Sudan must be guaranteed by law.

Page 1,
3. A democratic state must be established in the Sudan. For Sudan to become a democratic country where the rights of all citizens are enshrined, the constitution should be based on the principle of "separation of religion and state” in the absence of which the right to self-determination must be respected. Freedom of belief and worship and religious practice shall he guaranteed in full to all Sudanese citizens. The state shall not establish an official religion. No citizen shall be discriminated against based on their religion.
State configuration: Page 1,
4. The people of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile (the “Two Areas") retain the status quo which includes self-protection until security arrangements are agreed upon by the parties to the conflict and until “separation between religion and state" is actualized.
Self determination: Page 1,
3. A democratic state must be established in the Sudan. For Sudan to become a democratic country where the rights of all citizens are enshrined, the constitution should be based on the principle of "separation of religion and state” in the absence of which the right to self-determination must be respected.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: Governance→Constitution→Constitutional reform/making
Page 1,
3. A democratic state must be established in the Sudan. For Sudan to become a democratic country where the rights of all citizens are enshrined, the constitution should be based on the principle of "separation of religion and state” in the absence of which the right to self-determination must be respected...

Page 1,
6. The principle of appropriate and fair sharing of power and wealth among the various people of the Sudan must be realized through the constitution.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: Power sharing→Territorial power sharing→Autonomous regions
Page 1,
4. The people of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile (the “Two Areas") retain the status quo which includes self-protection until security arrangements are agreed upon by the parties to the conflict and until “separation between religion and state" is actualized.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: Page 1,
2. Complete political and social equalities of all peoples in the Sudan must be guaranteed by law.

Page 1,
3. A democratic state must be established in the Sudan. For Sudan to become a democratic country where the rights of all citizens are enshrined ...
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: Human rights and equality→Civil and political rights→Equality
Page 1,
2. Complete political and social equalities of all peoples in the Sudan must be guaranteed by law.
Human rights and equality→Civil and political rights→Thought, opinion, conscience and religion
Page 1,
3. ... the right to self-determination must be respected. Freedom of belief and worship and religious practice shall he guaranteed in full to all Sudanese citizens. The state shall not establish an official religion. No citizen shall be discriminated against based on their religion.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: Rights related issues→Protection measures→Protection of groups
Page 1,
4. The people of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile (the “Two Areas") retain the status quo which includes self-protection until security arrangements are agreed upon by the parties to the conflict and until “separation between religion and state" is actualized.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: Page 1,
4. The people of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile (the “Two Areas") retain the status quo which includes self-protection until security arrangements are agreed upon by the parties to the conflict and until “separation between religion and state" is actualized.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→General commitments
Page 1,
5. The parties hereby agree to maintain cessation of hostilities throughout the peace process until the security arrangements are agreed upon.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: https://twitter.com/KurMatiok/status/1302000896734310404/photo/1

Joint Agreement

We, representatives of the Transitional Government of the Republic of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement — North, affirm the following principles:

1, Sudan is a multi-racial.

multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society.

Full recognition and accommodation of these diversities must be affirmed.

2. Complete political and social equalities of all peoples in the Sudan must be guaranteed by law.

3. A democratic state must be established in the Sudan.

For Sudan to become a democratic country where the rights of all citizens are enshrined, the constitution should be based on the principle of "separation of religion and state” in the absence of which the right to self-determination must be respected.

Freedom of belief and worship and religious practice shall he guaranteed in full to all Sudanese citizens.

The state shall not establish an official religion.

No citizen shall be discriminated against based on their religion.

4. The people of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile (the “Two Areas") retain the status quo which includes self-protection until security arrangements are agreed upon by the parties to the conflict and until “separation between religion and state" is actualized.

5. The parties hereby agree to maintain cessation of hostilities throughout the peace process until the security arrangements are agreed upon.

6. The principle of appropriate and fair sharing of power and wealth among the various people of the Sudan must be realized through the constitution.

Signed at Addis Ababa this 3rd day of September 2020

H.E. Abdalla Hamdok

Prime Minister of the Republic of the Sudan

Abdalaziz Adam Alhilu

Chairman and C-in-C

Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North