# Government of Peace and Unity

The Government of Peace and Unity, (Arabic: حكومة السلام والوحدة, romanized: hukumat alsalam walwahda), is a proposed parallel government announced in February 2025 to administer areas of Sudan controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied groups during the Sudanese Civil War, in opposition to the transitional government being formed by the Transitional Sovereignty Council.

## Background

Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in a coup d'état in April 2019 following a series of large-scale protests. A 39-month transition to democracy was planned with the role of head of state being performed by a Transitional Sovereignty Council and a transitional government led by Abdalla Hamdok was formed to govern the country until elections planned for July 2023. The transition period ended abruptly when the transitional government was dissolved following a further coup d'état, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in October 2021. A civil war between the al-Burhan led Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo broke out in April 2023. Initially the RSF gained control of most of the capital, Khartoum and parts of Southern and Western Sudan. However, by early 2025, the SAF had regained ground around Khartoum and by mid-February 2025, had control over about two thirds of the Khartoum metropolitan area.

## Establishment

The Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, announced plans for the formation of a civilian led transitional government on 10 February 2025. In response, the RSF convened a conference in Nairobi, Kenya on 18 February 2025 to establish a Sudan Founding Alliance and draft a Sudan Founding Charter, also known as the Nairobi Charter, to pave the way for the formation of a rival Government of Peace and Unity to administer territory under RSF control. On 4 March 2024, the Sudan Founding Alliance announced that it had adopted a transitional constitutional framework at a ceremony held at the Mercure Upper Hill Hotel in Nairobi.
Consultations on the make up of the proposed government began on 23 February 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. However, on 24 February 2025, disagreements emerged between members of the Sudan Founding Alliance over allocation of positions within the proposed government. On 8 March 2025, the RSF announced that arrangements to form the Government of Peace and Unity were complete and plans to issue passports, official documents and currency were being prepared.

## Structure

The transitional constitutional framework adopted by the Sudan Founding Alliance on 4 March 2025 prescribed the structure of the Government of Peace and Unity. It contains provisions for the division of Sudan into eight administrative regions and defines the powers of national, regional and local authorities.

### Presidential Council

A Presidential Council is to serve as the collective head of state. It is to have 15 members, including provincial governors, and is to be nominated by the Sudan Founding Alliance.

### Transitional Cabinet

A Transitional Cabinet is to consist of a prime minister, nominated by the Sudan Founding Alliance, and up to 16 other ministers nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the signatories to the Sudan Founding Charter.

### Constituent Legislative Body

A bicameral Constituent Legislative Body is to be made up of a 24 member Council of Regions and a 177 member Council of Deputies.

### Regions

The transitional constitutional framework proposes dividing the country into eight Regions: Khartoum Region, Eastern Region, Northern Region, Darfur Region, Central Region, Kordofan Region, South Kordofan/Nuba Mountains Region, and New Funj Region.

## Reaction
### Support

* Kenya defended its role in hosting the RSF led conference, with Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, stating that "Kenya's actions were in line with its broader role in peace negotiations and its commitment to supporting Sudan in finding a resolution to its ongoing political crisis".

### Criticism
#### Sudan

* The Transitional Sovereignty Council-backed foreign ministry described the proposed formation of a parallel government as an "act of hostility" and criticised the Kenyan government for hosting the conference, adding that the move “promotes the dismembering of African states, violates their sovereignty, and interferes in their internal affairs. Sudan recalled its ambassador to Kenya on 20 February 2025. On 22 February 2025, Sudan’s foreign ministry stated that it was considering imposing a ban on Kenyan goods entering the country. The ban came into force on 14 March 2025.

#### Other states

* Algeria called the formation of a parallel government a "dangerous step that fuels further fragmentation and derails current efforts for peace and dialogue".
* The People's Republic of China believes that creation of a parallel government "risks increasing the fragmentation of the Sudan".
* Egypt’s foreign minister Badr Abdelatty criticised the RSF’s efforts to form a parallel government stating that Egypt "rejects the establishment of any other framework or parallel government to the legitimate government in Sudan and rejects any external interference in Sudan."
* Guyana supported a statement during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council that urged the RSF to "put the unity and national interest of Sudan above all other considerations"
* Jordan's foreign ministry issued a statement "reject[ing] attempts that may threaten to undermine the unity of the sisterly Republic of Sudan, by calling for the formation of a parallel Sudanese government, which hinders efforts to reach a solution to the Sudanese crisis."
* Kuwait's foreign ministry rejected any actions taken outside Sudan’s official institutions, calling them interference and a threat to territorial integrity.
* Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and strongly condemned attempts to establish a parallel government in Sudan, warning that any move that violates the UN Charter will only deepen instability.
* Qatar stated that it supported the unity and sovereignty of Sudan and rejected any outside interference in its internal affairs.
* Russia called for the UN to support Sudan's peace process and warned against "parallel steps".
* The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia "rejected any illegitimate steps or measures taken outside the framework of the Republic of Sudan's official institutions".
* Sierra Leone supported a statement during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council that urged the RSF to "put the unity and national interest of Sudan above all other considerations."
* Somalia supported a statement during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council that urged the RSF to "put the unity and national interest of Sudan above all other considerations"
* South Korea highlighted a contradiction between the RSF’s stated aim of forming a peaceful, unified government and its actions on the ground at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
* Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni stated that he will not recognize any parallel government formed by the RSF.
* The United Kingdom expressed "deep concern" over the development during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council where the British representative stated that "Respect for Sudan's charter rights, its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity is vital and will be necessary for a sustainable end to this war".
* The Chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch, strongly condemned Kenya for hosting the RSF, which the US Government has accused of genocide and are subject to US sanctions. The US ambassador to the United Nations later added that "attempts by the RSF and aligned actors to establish a government in RSF-controlled territory in Sudan are unhelpful for the cause of peace and security in Sudan, and risks a de facto partition of the country."

#### International organisations

* The African Union Peace and Security Council expressed grave concern about the RSF's attempts to establish a parallel government, adding that it will not recognise any such government and urged member states to not recognise a parallel government proclaimed by the RSF.
* The Arab League expressed its "deep concern and strong disapproval of any actions that could undermine Sudan’s unity or lead to its division".
* The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region expressed serious concern about the RSF establishing a parallel governing authority in areas they control.
* A spokesperson for the United Nations stated that the Sudan crisis could worsen if paramilitaries declare a parallel government adding that preserving the unity of Sudan, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity, remains a key ingredient for a sustainable resolution of the conflict.