Juba — The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North under the leadership of Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu) and the Forces for Freedom and Change-Democratic Block (FFC-DB) signed a joint political declaration on the formation of a transitional government yesterday in Juba.

El Hilu and Jaafar El Mirghan, representative of the FFC-DB and Vice-President of the mainstream Democratic Unionist Party, signed the declaration that asks for national consensus, reconciliation, and political accommodation to ensure the formation of a transitional government in Sudan.

The declaration addresses the political crisis and stressed the need to rebuild the Sudanese state on a 'new basis' that leans on principles of secularism (the separation of religion and state), a decentralised government system, and social justice.

The declaration affirmed that the transitional period should be a platform for restructuring and building the Sudanese state on new foundations and for drafting a permanent constitution based on the above-mentioned principles.

"The two parties thoroughly discussed the current political situation and agreed on the need for national consensus paving the way towards the formation of a civilian government that contributes positively to advancing the peace process and ensuring its sustainability by addressing the root causes of the Sudanese crisis," the declaration reads.

The integration of the Rapid Support Forces and armed rebel movements into a unified Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), according to a specified timetable, is also addressed in the declaration.

Both parties have previously refused to sign the Framework Agreement.