Sudan's ruling generals and protest leaders signed a hard-won constitutional declaration on Sunday, paving the way for a transition to civilian rule after more than seven months of demonstrations and violence.
Under the agreement, signed at a ceremony in the capital Khartoum, a joint civilian-military ruling body will oversee the formation of a civilian government and parliament to govern for a three-year transition period.
The declaration was the result of fraught negotiations between the leaders of mass protests, which erupted last December against the rule of former president Omar al-Bashir, and the generals who ousted him in April.
It builds on a July 17 power-sharing deal between the two sides.
Protest movement leader Ahmed Rabie and the deputy head of the ruling military council General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo signed the declaration at a ceremony attended by African Union and Ethiopian mediators.
"We turned a tough page of Sudan's history by signing this agreement," Dagalo, who flashed a victory sign after making a short speech, told reporters.
The signing was met by applause in the hall as representatives from both sides shook hands.
Crowds of jubilant Sudanese gathered outside the hall, chanting "blood for blood, our government is civilian" and "revolution, revolution."
In the Bahari district of north Khartoum, dozens were chanting "this country is ours and the government is civilian," as drivers honked their horns in celebration.
In the city of Omdurman, hundreds were clapping, chanting and dancing to drum beats.
A formal signing with foreign dignitaries in attendance is to take place on August 17, another protest leader, Monzer Abu al-Maali, told AFP.
On the same day, Al-Bashir is due to go on trial on corruption charges.
The next day, the generals and protest leaders are to announce the composition of the new transitional civilian-majority ruling council, Abu al-Maali said.
"The prime minister will be named on August 20 and cabinet members on August 28," he said, adding that the sovereign council and cabinet would meet for the first time on September 1.
