Comparison
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Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
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| Attribute | DjiboutiReviewed | SudanIndexed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law with Islamic and customary personal status | Mixed Islamic and common law |
| System of government | Semi-presidential republic | Military government following the 2021 coup and 2023 war |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of Djibouti | Draft Constitutional Charter for the Transitional Period |
| In force since | 1992 | 2019 |
| Capital | Djibouti | Khartoum |
| Official languages | Arabic, French, Somali, Afar | Arabic, English |
| Currency | Djiboutian franc (DJF) | Sudanese pound (SDG) |
| Population | 1,140,000 | 48,100,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary, with five regions and the capital district. Regional councils were introduced by the decentralisation laws of 2002 and hold limited local competences; there is no legislative devolution. | Formally federal, with states headed by governors. The Juba Peace Agreement of 2020 contemplated regional arrangements for Darfur and the Two Areas. Effective authority is currently divided between the belligerents and varies by locality. |
| How law is made | Bills originate with the government or with deputies, are examined in committee and adopted by the National Assembly. Organic laws require referral to the Constitutional Council before promulgation. The President promulgates within fifteen days and may request a second deliberation. The government may legislate by ordinance under an enabling statute, subject to later ratification. | The Charter assigned legislation to a joint sitting of the Sovereignty Council and the cabinet pending the formation of a legislative council, which never fully happened. Since 2021 instruments have been issued by decree. There is no verifiable ordinary legislative process at present, which is why this profile is marked as requiring research. |
| Legal profession | A small avocat profession organised in a single bar in the capital, admitted on the French model after a law degree and professional training, frequently completed abroad. Notaries handle conveyancing and company formation. Judges are career appointments, and the limited size of the profession means many practitioners move between bench, bar and government service. | Advocates are admitted through the Sudanese Bar Association, and the profession — particularly the Sudanese Professionals Association and the emergency lawyers' groups — was central to the 2019 protest movement and to documenting subsequent abuses. Judges are career appointments through the Judicial Service Commission. Current admission practice and numbers cannot be reliably confirmed. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.