A constitutional workshop in Kadugli, South Kordofan was held from 15 to 18 May 2022
In its constitutional workshop in Kadugli, South Kordofan, the Max Planck Foundation’s Sudan team assembled approximately 120 participants from different parts of Kordofan, Abiyei, Darfur, while bringing 30 participants from Khartoum, representing political parties, former armed opposition groups, civil society organisations, regional tribal leaders, academics and Sudanese state authorities. In Kadugli, members from various movements joined the event, for example some members from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM –North).
During the four-day event, participants discussed, inter alia, the concept of asymmetrical federalism as introduced in different draft model-constitutions for the regions of Blue Nile, Darfur and Kordofan. Foundation research fellows, as well as the head of project, and Sudanese experts from Khartoum presented constitutional models developed by the Sudan team, followed by vivid discussions with the audience. Themes included: the unity of Sudan; federal, regional, state, and local competencies; the notion of creating regions versus individual states; the role of the Constitutional Court, and questions of natural resources and wealth distribution.
The Foundation’s impartial and independent advice assists stakeholders across the political spectrum in drafting a permanent Sudanese national constitution as well as constitutions for the regions and the states. Thus the event exhibited that the main Sudanese actors in the constitutional process welcome the Foundation as an impartial facilitator and advisor. The events organised in Sudan are appreciated as a platform for dialogue where representatives of all political factions with different views can meet and discuss their constitutional visions removed from day-to-day political events. Recently SPLM –North has requested special lectures concerning constitutional issues.
Further events in Sudan are scheduled for the remainder of 2022. They are expected to deal with land issues and the distribution of competences concerning the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, in particular gold. Another planned workshop will deal with various laws to be enacted as a first step by a Sudanese Government based upon the rule of law.