Sudan’s top general was sworn in Wednesday as the leader of a joint military-civilian body created to rule Sudan during a three-year transition period toward democratic elections.

Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan was sworn in before the country’s top judge and will lead the 11-member Sovereign Council for 21 months, followed by a civilian leader appointed by the pro-democracy movement for the next 18.

The long-awaited move came after more than four months of tortuous negotiations between the ruling military council and the pro-democracy movement after the army’s removal of the longtime autocratic president, Omar al-Bashir, in April.

The new Sovereign Council was established under a power-sharing agreement between the military and the protesters, following pressure from the United States and its Arab allies, amid growing concerns the political crisis could ignite a civil war.