SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - Al-Mahdi fears Sudan’s Hamdok pulls back from IMF-supported economic reforms

11/7/2020: Sudan Tribune - Al-Mahdi fears Sudan’s Hamdok pulls back from IMF-supported economic reforms

 Sudan Tribune reports that the leader of the National Umma Party (NUP) Sadiq al-Mahdi, expressed fears that Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Badawi’s dismissal will not prevent the economic reforms he initiated with international financial institutions.

 Al-Mahdi said there are two political trends among the revolution’s forces advocating different economic policies: “the dreamers and the [pragmatists].” The latter are said to be those who intend to implement the tough International Monetary Fund (IMF) reforms which al-Badawi pursued. Al-Mahdi said he agreed with al-Badawi “because the dreaming trend will destroy the national economy.”

 With leading NUP members claiming that al-Badawi expressed frustrations to Prime Minister Hamdok about his lack of support for attempts to hand over military firms to the Finance Ministry, al-Mahdi “alluded” to this issue.

 The article also notes that Sudanese leftists claim that “popular” health minister Akram Eltom was sacked due to his plans to implement free universal healthcare.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Reuters - Beaten and abused, Sudan's women bear scars of fight for freedom

11/7/19: Reuters - Beaten and abused, Sudan's women bear scars of fight for freedom, by Umit Bektas

 Umit Bektas’ feature piece spoke to Sudanese woman activists, who described their repression from security forces and their outlook for the future.

 Local women’s activists said soldiers held up women’s underwear on poles to symbolize the women they had sexually assaulted.

 42-year-old activist Hadia Hasaballah said “they know that if they humiliate the women, they will humiliate the whole people…none of the Sudanese women will officially say that they were raped because of the stigma.” She added that “Sudan can be better...we will fight for a democratic Sudan, real change and for our rights.”

 Manal Farah, 49, who lost her son in the protests, said “the aim of the government is to convince mothers of revolutionaries to prevent their sons from joining the revolution. But no matter what we say to them they will never stop before achieving their objectives.”

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Financial Times - US backs Sudan transition deal for fear of state collapse

11/7/19: Financial Times - US backs Sudan transition deal for fear of state collapse, by Adrienne Klasa

 The Financial Times reports that Tibor Nagy, US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, said in London, said that the Sudanese power-sharing deal is the best alternative to a “Somalia [or] Libya model” of state failure, labelling it “a step forward.”

Nagy said the US would not become involved in the details of any agreement between the ruling transitional military council and civilian groups, with the US’ goal being “to achieve this transition that is acceptable to the Sudanese people.”

 On controversy surrounding Himedti’s continued power despite the deal promising accountability for the June 3 massacre, Nagy said the crackdown was “a separate issue…it’s very important for us not to get into [accusing] this person, that person.”

 Nagy admitted the deal could still fall apart, citing fears of Omar Al Bashir’s Islamist allies restoring the old regime or that an unstable Sudan could allow radical groups to flourish.