The Foundation’s Sudan team held another workshop in Khartoum in the context of its EU-supported programme

30 participants and speakers gathered to discuss “Decentralisation and Land Issues from a Comparative Perspective”

The workshop took place from 24 to 26 September 2019 as part of the EU-funded project “Support to Inclusive Constitutional Reform in Sudan“.

16 of the participants travelled to Khartoum from South Kordofan, one of the regions particularly affected by land-related questions and grievances. Over the last 18 months, the Foundation has invited representatives of civil society and key actors across the political spectrum to discuss particular challenges towards a permanent constitution. Also, in view of Sudan’s recent revolutionary political developments, the question of constitution drafting remains high on the agenda. A “Constitutional Charter” adopted in August foresees a 3-year transitional period during which a commission is to draft a permanent constitution.

The Foundation remains committed to accompanying this process in its traditional impartial and scientific manner, so as to contribute to an inclusive constitutional process. The Foundation pays equal attention to the fact that a new and permanent Sudanese constitution will have to be the product of a genuine Sudanese process and therefore refrains from taking on any authority in the process. The Foundation builds capacities and provides relevant actors with the skills to engage in a meaningful constitutional process without influencing its partners one way or another. A comparative approach is a key feature of this process, in particular legal comparison with African constitutions is considered a helpful tool. Legal aspects are supplemented by speakers drawn from other disciplines, such as anthropology and political sciences.