Sudan and the Challenges of Political Governance, 2017–2023

Sudan is one of Africa’s largest and most diverse countries with immense economic potential. Since its independence in 1953, political governance in Sudan has been characterised by a tumultuous history. There were 11 Coup d’etat, of which 5 were successful. Moreover, South Sudan ceded in 2011 after long periods of insurrection against the central governments of Sudan. Despite the hope that the independence of South Sudan would bring much-needed stability, the Darfur conflict ignited a new era of instability. The latest coup d’etat in 2019, was inspired by the popular uprising of the Sudanese students and workers and undertaken by the military, which always had a controversial role in the country’s political affairs. The fall of Al Bashir was to usher in a civilian government after two decades of military rule. That hope was dashed in April 2023 when two strong men with substantial armies sent the country into a civil war. This chapter considers the current conflict in Sudan and the lack of effective democratic political governance according to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) framework. After wide consultations with relevant stakeholders, Sudan acceded to the APRM in July 2006, and the Country’s Review Mission (CRM) published its findings in all thematic areas in 2017. The chapter evaluates the summaries of the Democratic and Political Governance thematic area; especially the intra-country conflict and the lack of progress on the highlighted areas that led to the current state of affairs.