SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Radio Dabanga - UN World Food Programme: ‘Sudan faces significant increase in food insecurity’

21/4/2022: Radio Dabanga - UN World Food Programme: ‘Sudan faces significant increase in food insecurity’

 

Radio Dabanga report that the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that the national average retail price of food in Sudan has significantly increased, making “nutritious food unaffordable for many families”.

 

The WFP stated that “the average cost of the WFP domestic food basket rose sharply by nearly 20% compared to the previous month”, with sorghum, wheat flour and peanuts rising by 20%, 14% and 14% in comparison to the previous month.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: DW - Sudan: Cold shoulder for UN, warm embrace for Russia

21/4/2022: DW - Sudan: Cold shoulder for UN, warm embrace for Russia, by Jennifer Holleis and Kersten Knipp

 

DW report on the closer ties between Sudan and Russia, noting that gold makes up around 45% of Sudan’s total exports, varying between 26 and 30 tons per year, amid an increase of unregistered gold exports to Russia in private airplanes as it “Sudanese gold helps Russia ease the effects of Ukraine-related international sanctions”.

 

Following a visit to Moscow by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander-in-chief Himedti on the day of Russia’s attack of Ukraine, Theodore Murphy, Africa director at the European Council on Foreign Relations said Himedti "has been courting the Russians most aggressively and they have been responding very positively”.

 

Murphy added that army commander-in-chief Abdulfattah al-Burhan fears “being outflanked” by Himedti and “would be open to working with the Kremlin,” leaving

civil society as the only "true protection against Russian influence in Sudan, because their ideology is completely opposed to any kind of role for Russia”.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Radio Dabanga - Sudan peace talks: Progress on appointing state governors

21/4/2020: Radio Dabanga - Sudan peace talks: Progress on appointing state governors

 Radio Dabanga report that both the Darfur Bar Association (DBA) and the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) have endorsed the appointment of civilian state governors.

 The DBA calls for 30 percent of the civilian state governors to be women. The DBA also called for standards for selecting governors such as: experience in administration, connection to the state represented and the values of the revolution. The DBA added that they believe that appointing civilian state governors will help ongoing efforts to dismantle the ‘deep-state’.

 The SPA revealed that in the states of Khartoum, Northern state, North Darfur, and Central Darfur - consensus had not yet been reached, calling for a review in the process of selecting civilian state governors.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Radio Dabanga - El Tayyar editor: 'Al Bashir ordered massacre before coup'

21/4/19: Radio Dabanga – El Tayyar editor: ‘Al Bashir ordered massacre before coup’

Radio Dabanga reports that senior Sudanese journalist Osman Mirghani, the editor-in-chief of El Tayyar newspaper, has said that the leaders of Sudan’s transitional military council told him that Omar Al Bashir ordered his security chiefs to get rid of the protesters participating in the sit-in outside Sudan’s military headquarters within 48 hours.

 Speaking to protesters outside Sudan’s military headquarters, Mirghani added that  Al Bashir justified the order by telling his security chiefs: “you all know that we follow the Maliki doctrine which allows a leader to kill 30 per cent of his people, and some hardliners even say 50 per cent.”

 According to Mirghani, it was at that moment the leaders of the junta decided that Al Bashir needed to be ousted.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Reuters - Sudan delegation to visit US to discuss lifting of terrorism lifting - SUNA

21/4/19: Reuters – Sudan delegation to visit US to discuss lifting of terrorism listing - SUNA

Reuters reports that a Sudanese delegation will visit the US soon to discuss Sudan’s removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

 “The delegation could be formed and travel to the United States this week or next week for discussions about lifting Sudan’s name from the list of nations supporting terrorism,” Sudan News Agency quoted the head of the Sudan’s Transitional Military Council, Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, as saying. 

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Reuters - Sudan military leadership says formation of military-civilian council being considered

21/4/19: Reuters - Sudan military leadership says formation of military-civilian council being considered

The head of Sudan’s Transitional Military Council, Abdelfattah Al Burhan, said that the formation of a joint military-civilian council — one of the demands put forward by Sudanese activists — was under discussion. In an interview with state TV, Al Burhan also confirmed that former President Omar Al Bashir and senior officials from his entourage had been jailed.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources – Sudanese protesters suspend talks with military

21/4/19: Multiple sources – Sudanese protesters suspend talks with military

Sudan’s main opposition coalition, the Declaration of Freedom and Change, has refused to hold further talks with the ruling military council, vowing to escalate its protests and push for wider change.

 Mohamed Alamin Abdul Aziz, a spokesman for the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), told reporters at a sit-in Khartoum that the military is “not serious” in its pledge to cede power to a civilian government, adding that the political committee of the council is too close to Omar Al Bashir.

 The SPA is part of the Declaration of Freedom and Change coalition.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources – Saudi, UAE pledge $3 billion of support to Sudan

21/4/19: Multiple sources – Saudi, UAE pledge $3 billion of support to Sudan

The Saudi Press Agency has announced that Saudi Arabia and the UAE have pledged $3 billion to Sudan, which will see $500 million dollars deposited into Sudan’s central bank to “strengthen the country's liquidity, ease the pressure on the Sudanese pound and achieve more stability in the exchange rate.”

 The remaining amount “will be dedicated to support the people of Sudan” with food, medicines and fuel.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Guardian - Sudan's displaced citizens stir revolt from the sidelines

21/4/19: Guardian – Sudan’s displaced citizens stir revolt from the sidelines, by Emma Graham-Harrison

 Emma Graham-Harrison examines the roles of global Sudanese diaspora in the recent popular activism. University of Khartoum professor Munzoul Assal is quoted saying that the diaspora have played a “significant” role in Al Bashir’s downfall, citing their social media activity, lobbying governments in their new homes and staging demonstrations.

 Graham-Harrison attributes the rise of diaspora activism to social media documentation of the protests serving as “an unprecedented call to action.”

 Graham-Harrison argues that the most vocal diaspora are western-based, drawing attention to a west London pub that is allegedly a hub of revolutionary conspiracy, and quoting Assal saying that US-based diaspora are the most politically active. By contrast, the activism of Sudanese diaspora in the Gulf and Chad are handicapped by authoritarian governments and limited internet access respectively.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Sky News - He stood up to Sudan's tyrannical government. Soldiers shot him dead.

21/4/19: Sky News – He stood up to Sudan’s tyrannical government. Soldiers shot him dead, by Stuart Ramsey

 In a feature piece, Sky News’ chief correspondent Stuart Ramsey speaks to the family of 25-year old Abdulazim Abubakr, a Sudanese protester shot dead by soldiers.

 Abdulazim’s brother Omar said: “there are thousands of Abdulazims. They all died so that Sudan can be liberated and become good again…we want retribution, but we also want a better Sudan.”

 Abdulazim’s cousin Mustafa Ohzeddin said: “what happened in Sudan was worth the sacrifice of lives - our homeland is precious and we love Sudan. It was necessary for people to sacrifice everything."

 Ramsey concludes that the revolution is “within the grasp of those who lived.”

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Associated Press - Sudan protesters to name civilian council, pressure military

21/4/19: Associated Press – Sudan protesters to name civilian council, pressure military

Mohammed Al Asam, a 28 year-old doctor who is a leading organizer of protests on behalf of the Sudanese Professionals Association, expressed hopes to “exert more pressure” on the ruling military by announcing the composition of a civilian transitional council Sunday.

 Al Asam said “we are ready with a clear plan for a transition with qualified names.” He added that the TMC’s growing power “is dangerous to the revolution,” and reiterated demands for the arrest of additional members of Al Bashir’s regime.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - Sudan military tell African Union they want to facilitate change, as SPA says it is civilians’ job

21/4/19: Sudan Tribune - Sudan military tell African Union they want to facilitate change, as SPA says it is civilians’ job

Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) told the head of African Union Commission they want to create a conducive environment for democratic change in Sudan, while the Sudan Professionals Association stressed the need to undertake this job by qualified civilians.

The Sudanese military say they seized power in response to the calls by the Sudanese people to join them to protect their revolution. However, the Declaration for Freedom and Change forces reject that the army takes a leading role during this period, stating they should participate as a partner in the transitional period institutions.

Many opposition groups that led the protests also suspect that TMC’s political committee chief Omar Zain Al Abdin is an Islamist.