SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - RSF confirms arrival of troops in Khartoum for training

8/3/2023: Sudan Tribune - RSF confirms arrival of troops in Khartoum for training

Sudan Tribune report that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia has transferred 700 new recruits from Darfur to Khartoum for a training programme.

The move coincided with the growing tensions over the framework agreement between RSF Himedti and the army leadership. Himedti had recently public confirmed he was at odds with Sudanese armed forces commanders.

Following the arrival of the additional RSF troops to Khartoum, there were reports that the army responded by putting troops on high alert levels. However, an anonymous senior RSF officer told Sudan Tribune “these forces have nothing to do with any conflict…their arrival to the training camps in Khartoum was decided several months ago”.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - U.S. Congress links Sudan’s debt relief to fiscal transparency of security services

8/3/2020: Sudan Tribune - U.S. Congress links Sudan’s debt relief to fiscal transparency of security services

 Sudan Tribune reports that US Congress has introduced a bill to support the democratic transition in Sudan, which links Sudan’s foreign debt relief to the full control of the civilian government over the finances and assets of the security and intelligence services.

 The bill authorises assistance for development programmes, supports debt relief and multilateral financing from international financial institutions, provided that governance and fiscal transparency benchmarks are met.

 The transitional government must:

·      Establish that the security and intelligence services are no longer involved in the "illicit trade in mineral resources, including petroleum and gold".

·      Identify the shareholdings in all companies held or managed by the security and intelligence services, and transfer them to a public civilian entity.

·      Develop a "transparent budget that includes all expenditures related to the security and intelligence services.”

·      Establish and implement a methodology to recover the state assets and profits transferred to the National Congress Party.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - U.S., Sudan officials discuss financial reforms

8/3/2020: Sudan Tribune - U.S., Sudan officials discuss financial reforms

 Sudan Tribune reports that a delegation from the US Treasury Department discussed with the Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Foreign Minister Asma Abdalla, financial reforms to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

 According to Hamdok’s office, the meeting discussed the role that the US can play in assisting the transitional government in implementing its peace and economic priorities.

 Marshall Billingslea, the Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing at the US Treasury Department "praised Sudan’s role in combating terrorism and reaffirmed the support of the US government for the transitional period."

 US officials say that while Sudan has taken important anti-laundering measures to improve the banking system and counter terror financing, further steps are needed to enhance the financial system.