SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Bloomberg - How a Sanctioned Russian Company Gained Access to Sudan’s Gold

30/4/2022: Bloomberg - How a Sanctioned Russian Company Gained Access to Sudan’s Gold, by Simon Marks and Mohammed Alamin

Commercial Registry documents seen by Bloomberg provided the first evidence that the gold mining compound in Atbara is owned by Meroe Gold, a company the US Treasury says has ties to the Wagner Group, which it describes as a mercenary company connected to the Russian Ministry of Defence. In addition to access to lucrative mineral deposits, Meroe has licenses to operate in Sudanese industries ranging from transport and agriculture to plastics, Bloomberg revealed.

Dozens of miners, executives, engineers, consultants and analysts in Sudan interviewed by Bloomberg said that Wagner’s relationship with the administration of ex-president Omar al-Bashir helped Meroe secure an operating permit and access to cheap, semi-processed gold ore extracted by small-scale operators.

Furthermore, anonymous US and UK officials said that Meroe had intensified work at the project site since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Reuters - Sudan makes female genital cutting a crime in 'new era' for women's rights

30/4/2020: Reuters - Sudan makes female genital cutting a crime in 'new era' for women's rights, by Nita Bhalla

 Reuters’ report that Sudan’s criminalisation of FGM highlights warnings from women’s rights groups that social obstacles remain in implementing the law, such as difficulties in changing minds “in communities that view the traditional practice as necessary to marry their daughters.”

 Faiza Mohamed, Africa regional director for Equality Now, called for “punitive measures to ensure girls are protected from this torturous practice.”

 Mohamed added that, while the criminalisation of FGM “acts as an important deterrent…. people who still believe in the practice might not report cases or act to stop FGM when they know it is happening,” rendering implementation a challenge.

 Communities may look for ways to avoid detection, while officials who believe in the practice may not uphold the law, warned Mohamed.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Reuters - Sudanese women at forefront of protests after years of oppression

30/4/19: Reuters – Sudanese women at forefront of protests after years of oppression, by Michael Georgy

 Michael Georgy's feature peace spoke to Sudanese women, "who suffered the most under [Omar Al] Bashir’s dictatorship...now a driving force at a sit-in outside the Ministry of Defense."

 Mervat Al Neel, one of two women on a 10-member negotiating committee, said that "women want to take charge," adding that the generals she is negotiating with are "here in a position of power because of [women].”

 Al Rashid Saeed, spokesperson for the Sudanese Professionals Association, which organised the demonstrations, said that "women’s participation in the protests was a decisive factor in overthrowing Bashir."

 Activist Hadia Hassaballa said that “the primary problem with Bashir’s Islamic rule is that political Islam treats women as second-class citizens.”  Hassaballa also expressed dissatisfaction about the number of women represented in the negotiating committee, adding that it does not reflect the "reality of [women's] participation in the revolution and their numbers in the sit-in."

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: African Arguments - What al-Bashir's removal means for South Sudan's fragile peace

30/4/19: African Arguments – What al-Bashir’s removal means for South Sudan’s fragile peace, by Matthew LeRiche

 Matthew LeRiche, an Assistant Professor in Global Studies at Ohio University, argues that recent developments in Sudan are likely to collapse the South Sudan peace deal.

 LeRiche notes that Sudan needs South Sudan's stability to ensure the secure flow of oil, which would alleviate the economic grievances that caused the protests. However, former president Omar Al Bashir was the "main individual leading [South Sudan's] peace process," meaning that figures in both South Sudan’s government and opposition |could smell an opportunity and act as spoilers."

 LeRiche states that Al Bashir "sometimes [acted] against the interests of his own inner circle," meaning that figures who opposed the 2005 peace deal," may assert themselves following al-Bashir’s exit.

 In addition, Sudan's internal turmoil means that its leaders "may be unable to turn their attention to issues beyond the country’s borders," resulting in further delays to the peace deal and its possible collapse.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Financial Times - Sudan: protesters plot the next stage of the revolution

30/4/19: Financial Times – Sudan: protesters plot the next stage of the revolution, by David Pilling

David Pilling's feature piece examines the power-sharing talks between Sudan's transitional military council (TMC) and the civilian opposition.

 Pilling cites TMC deputy chief Himedti's RSF troops "dotted strategically around town in trucks bristling with weapons," to highlight suspicions that the military will not relinquish decision making power. However, Pilling states that protesters have leverage "unless the military council is prepared to shoot.

 Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, a professor and human rights activist touted as a potential prime minister, justified negotiation with the army to guard against militia activity and the possibility of a counter insurgency.

 Hassan Elhag Ali, a professor of political science at the University of Khartoum, expressed pessimism about the possibility of a "smooth transition," because Sudan's political parties are unlikely to give the Sudanese Professionals Association a free hand in moulding Sudanese politics.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Reuters - Sudanese protest group says military 'not serious' about civilian handover

30/4/19: Reuters – Sudanese protest group says military ‘not serious’ about civilian handover, by Khalid Abdelaziz

 Reuters reports that Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) spokesman Mohammed Naji Elasam told reporters in Khartoum that “what we feel from all the actions of the military council until now is that they are not serious about handing over power to civilians,” adding that “with the passing of time the powers of the military council are expanded and this is a very big danger for the Sudanese revolution.”

 The SPA leads an alliance of activists and opposition groups called the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFC). One of the DFC leaders, Khalid Omar said that “the military council has the chance to participate in the state that we are working on ... but might lead us to the risk of straying into something unpleasant.” Omar said that the sit-in will continue until the revolution’s goals are achieved.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Associated Press - Sudan's military rulers to protesters: No more 'chaos'

30/4/19: Associated Press – Sudan’s military rulers to protesters: No more ‘chaos’

 Associated Press reports that Sudan’s ruling military council warned protesters against any further “chaos,” as organisers called for mass rallies later this week.

 Himedti, the deputy head of the military council, said council members “are committed to negotiate, but no chaos after today.”

He reiterated the military’s demand that protesters clear roads and railways, saying seven provinces were running low on food, water and fuel.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - Sudan transitional council denies plans to break up Khartoum sit-in

30/4/19: Sudan Tribune – Sudan transitional council denies plans to break up Khartoum sit-in

 Sudan Tribune reports that the deputy head of the Transitional Military Council (TMC), Hemedti, denied claims that the TMC were preparing to break up the sit-in outside the army headquarters, and pointed to the need to ensure fluid traffic flow in the capital and to supply states with food and fuel.

In a press conference held in response to a Sudanese Professional Association accusation that the army was amassing troops to disperse the sit-in, Himedti said that a time table was proposed open the two bridges near the army headquarters and to open the train tracks.