After two days of talks, Sudan's ruling Military Council and the country's pro-democracy movement have agreed over a transfer of power to civilian rule, a move that could break weeks of political impasse since the military ousted autocratic President Omar al-Bashir in April.
The African Union and Ethiopia, acting as mediators, invited both sides for direct negotiations over their joint proposal to end Sudan's political impasse.
Talks on a power-sharing agreement collapsed when security forces violently broke up a protest camp in Khartoum on June 3. The military removed former president Omar al-Bashir in April amid mass protests against his rule.
Mohammed el-Hassan Labat, African Union Special Envoy, said that both sides have agreed on a sovereign council that will rule for the country for "3 years or a little more" leading the way to create a civilian government.
“The two sides agreed to establish a sovereign council to be shared between the military and civilians for 3 years or a little more. They also agreed to create a civilian government that is nationalist, competent and independent under the leadership of a Prime Minister that has the same qualities,” he said.
The sides agreed to five seats for the military and five for civilians with one extra seat reserved for a civilian with a military background.
Both sides have also agreed to an investigation into security forces violently broke up a protest camp in Khartoum on June 3.
The military removed former president Omar al-Bashir in April amid mass protests against his rule.
The talks come on the heels of massive protests last weekend.
“This agreement opens the road to create the transitional leadership establishment that will start to amend the vacuum in the political, economic and social life. It is going to be one of the biggest priorities this government is to take care of peace and an independent, transparent investigation to find out who killed the martyrs and to hold them accountable,” said Omer al-Digair, Forces of Declaration of Freedom and Change (FDFC) leader.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Sudan's main cities in the biggest show of numbers since security forces cleared a sit-in outside the military headquarters last month.
At least 11 people were killed in clashes with security forces, according to protest organizers.
The talks also capped weeks of intensive efforts by the AU and Ethiopia to bring the generals and the protesters back to the negotiating table after a weekslong standoff that ensued after negotiations collapsed when security forces violently broke up the protesters' sit-in.