Decentralization in Sudan

Sudan is a vast and sprawling country characterized by diverse geographical features, demographics, and social pluralism. It is rich in financial and human resources. Under the decentralized system established by the 2005 Interim Constitution, the Sudanese government faced numerous challenges, including a dire economic situation, poor distribution of financial resources, weak performance of executive personnel in the states, and a lack of skills and capabilities. The book emphasizes the need for a permanent constitution for the country. It stresses that the upcoming constitution must avoid granting sovereign powers to sub-national levels, lest it repeat the experience of the 2005 Interim Constitution, which granted the region of South Sudan sovereign powers. This contributed to weakening the national identity of the southern population and led to the secession of South Sudan in 2011. The book also calls for a review of the number of states and local governments to ensure local economic sufficiency and reduce expenditures on federal government bodies. Therefore, the book examines political developments in Sudan from independence until 2005, aiming to encompass all the political aspects that have shaped the Sudanese political system and contributed to its current form, while also providing insights into the future of the political system in Sudan. The book also addresses the political system and the organization of public authorities in Sudan according to the 2005 constitution, as well as the motives for adopting the decentralized system. It also covers the stages of implementing decentralization in Sudan, the legal and institutional organization of the federal system after 2005, and the legal and institutional organization of the administrative decentralization system after 2005. The book also addresses the challenges of implementing decentralization, including constitutional, political, and institutional challenges, as well as social and economic challenges. It also covers the transitional phase after the military coup in Sudan in 2019, in addition to a future vision for the decentralized system in Sudan after 2005.