The Max Planck Foundation hosts event in Sudan – Constitution and the Rule of Law
From 09 – 11 February 2020, the Foundation’s Sudan team organised another workshop in the context of its series of workshops under the German Foreign Office financed programme “Support to the Constitutional Reform Process in Sudan“. The programme has a twofold objective. It attempts to provide the Sudanese stakeholders with necessary background information, which would enable them to negotiate and to draft a permanent constitution for the Republic of Sudan. In this respect, it addresses all political forces active in Sudan now. The present Interim Constitution, 2019 (the so-called Constitutional Charter which replaced the 2005 Interim Constitution) which was adopted under the revolutionary change which followed the ousting of President al-Bashir. This Constitutional Charter foresees, after peace agreements have been concluded with the movements, that the preparations for a permanent constitution should begin. After the 39 months Interim Period democratic elections shall take place and the Sudan should become a democratic and rule of law orientated State.
The event under the heading of “The Rule of Law as a Principle for a Future Permanent Constitution” gathered representatives of different Sudanese stakeholder groups, legal practitioners, academics, all of them involved in the constitutional process. The three-day workshop covered constitutional aspects of the rule of law in criminal, civil, and administrative law and explored aspects of the role of parliament, all from a Sudanese as well as an international comparative perspective. The Foundation will continue to provide impartial assistance in the current constitutional process, always emphasising that in the end a final permanent constitution is to be drafted and decided on by the Sudanese themselves. The next workshop is scheduled for April 2020.