SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Sudan Tribune - Seven ministers resign, one fired ahead of government reshuffle in Sudan

9/7/2020: Sudan Tribune - Seven ministers resign, one fired ahead of government reshuffle in Sudan

 Sudan Tribune report on Prime Minister Hamdok’s announcement of Sudan’s Cabinet reshuffle, in which seven ministers were replaced.

 Hamdok accepted the resignation of:

·      Minister of Foreign Affairs: Asma Abdallah

·      Minister of Finance: Ibrahim al-Badawi

·      Minister of Energy and Mining: Adel Ali Ibrahim

·      Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Issa Osman Sharif

·      Minister of Transport and Infrastructure: Hashim Tahir Sheikh Taha

·      Minister of Animal Resources: Allam Eddin Abdallah Absher

 Meanwhile, Minister of Health, Akram Eltom was reportedly sacked.

 The replacements are:

·      Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Omer Gamer Eldin

·      Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning: Heba Ahmed Ali

·      Ministry of Energy and Mining: Khairy Abdel-Rahman

·      Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Abdel Gadir Turkawi

·      Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport: Hashim Abu Naouf

·      Ministry of Animal Resources: Adel Farah Idris

·      Ministry of Health: Sarah Abdelazim Hassanein

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Reuters - Sudan replaces slew of top ministers to speed political reforms

9/7/2020: Reuters - Sudan replaces slew of top ministers to speed political reforms, by Khalid Abdelaziz

 Reuters report that Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said the cabinet reshuffle was intended to “advance the performance and execution of the transitional period’s missions and respond to accelerated economic and social changes,” nine days after the 30 June rallies.

 Reuters note that the reshuffle, which saw seven ministers replaced, “could pave the way for the signing of a delayed peace deal with some of Sudan’s rebel groups” who “expect to get seats in transitional bodies including the cabinet and a legislative council that is yet to be formed.”

 Among the replaced were Asmaa Abdallah, Sudan’s first female foreign minister, and the minister of energy and mines, Adel Ali Ibrahim.

 While the government said six of the seven replaced ministers resigned, Akram Altom, who as health minister was tasked with steering Sudan through the coronavirus outbreak, was dismissed from his post.

 Caretaker replacements were appointed to all seven ministries.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: AP - Sudan reshuffles government, hoping to appease protesters

9/7/2020: AP - Sudan reshuffles government, hoping to appease protesters

 AP report that Sudan’s transitional government has announced a major Cabinet reshuffle – replacing seven ministers - in hopes to defuse public discontent over economic collapse and other crises following the June 30 rallies.

 Alongside the health, foreign, energy, agriculture and transportation ministers, finance minister Ibrahim Elbadawi was also dismissed despite “spearheading ambitious economic reform plans sought by foreign donors and the International Monetary Fund, which included painful steps like [subsidy cuts]”.

 Sudanese newspaper editor Osman Mirghani said the reshuffle seems unlikely to satisfy demonstrators, with other key officials, such as the commerce minister, keeping their jobs despite calls for them to be dismissed. Mirghani added that “Hamdok was forced” and “the government [lacks] any real road map for how to create deeper change.”

 AP add that the reshuffle gives the government room to appoint several ministers from the Sudan Revolutionary Front coalition of rebel groups, as peace negotiation conditions.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Washington Post - How the United Arab Emirates contributes to mess after mess in the Middle East

9/7/19: Washington Post - How the United Arab Emirates contributes to mess after mess in the Middle East, by Brian Dooley

 Brian Dooley, a senior adviser at Human Rights First, cites the UAE’s support for “the military that has been violently repressing pro-democratic forces in Sudan,” in calls for the US launch a “radical overhaul” of its relationship with the UAE.

 Dooley argues that US arming of the UAE is “embarrassing” amid its support for “horrific abuses” in Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and at home. Stating that the UAE has largely “escaped” the scrutiny “finally imposed on Saudi Arabia for similar misdeeds, Dooley concludes that the US should not overlook Saudi Arabia’s “partner in crime.”

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Washington Post - Sudan has a remarkable, unexpected second chance at popular rule

9/7/19: Washington Post - Sudan has a remarkable, unexpected second chance at popular rule

 The Washington Post editorial board call for Sudan to be given a chance to rebuild with substantial economic aid and expertise from abroad to ensure that the power-sharing deal works.

 Noting that the deal “unexpectedly” came together with help from the military council’s backers Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE, as well as pressure from the United States and Britain, the Washington Post’s editors argue that it is vital for all parties adhere to the agreement and “not walk away,”

 Nonetheless, the Washington Post’s editors concede that tempting the military to not break the deal and seize absolute power “won’t be easy” for security organizations that were “pampered” by former president Omar Al Bashir.

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Globe and Mail - Canadian lobbyist says Sudan’s military regime demanded return of $6-million fee after he criticized massacre of protesters

9/7/19: Globe and Mail - Canadian lobbyist says Sudan’s military regime demanded return of $6-million fee after he criticized massacre of protesters, by Geoffrey York and Steven Chase

 The Globe and Mail reports that Sudan’s military rulers sought a refund of their $6m payment to Canadian lobbying firm Dickens & Madson, following a dispute over the June 3 massacre.

 Dickens & Madson president Ari Ben-Menashe says he criticised the regime for the massacre, which led to a “real fight” between him and Himedti, who “went crazy.” Ben-Menashe added that Himedti blamed the massacre on “rogue soldiers.”

Ben-Menashe said: “[Himedti] is surrounded by some very hot heads. I had to give him the benefit of the doubt too because he is a cool guy.”

Nonetheless, the dispute was settled and the contract remains. Ben-Menashe insists that the contract does not breach international law, as it is merely working to transition to civilian government in Sudan.

He did not comment on reports that his passport was confiscated, but said he is now free to leave Sudan.

SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Foreign Policy - How Darfur Became Sudan’s Kingmaker

9/7/19: Foreign Policy - How Darfur Became Sudan’s Kingmaker, by Jerome Tubiana

 Jerome Tubiana calls for those who have faith in a Sudanese democratic transition to worry about one section of society (the center) still dominating the other (the peripheries), raising the possibility of Sudan’s need to a transition from a centralized to a “truly national state.”

 Tubiana argues that Himedti is poised to exploit how Sudan’s security apparatus and the protester movement is dominated by the Arabs of the center, while the peripheries feel oppressed by the former and neglected by the latter. Thus, Himedti has “appeared ready to strike a partnership among all Sudanese on the periphery against the center,” in his attempts to enlarge his constituency beyond Darfur’s Arabs.

 Thus, Darfuri rebels are said to be open to working with Himedti, given that they criticised the recent power-sharing deal “as yet another incarnation of the center’s domination on the peripheries.”

SUDAN POLITICAL ALERT: UK Mission to the UN Human Rights Council 41: Sudan

9/7/19: UK Mission to the UN Human Rights Council 41: Sudan

 Stressing the need for accountability for the attacks on peaceful protesters, the UK mission to the UN Human Rights Council called on the council to work with Sudanese authorities to provide technical assistance and support for the development of human rights’ mechanisms to help Sudan meet its international commitments and responsibilities, including through the opening of an in-country Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

SUDAN POLITICAL ALERT: Human Rights Watch - Sudan: Put Justice Up Front

9/7/19: Human Rights Watch - Sudan: Put Justice Up Front

 Human Rights Watch call for Sudanese leaders to facilitate the establishment of, and cooperate with, the work of an effective “credible, independent” international investigation into the killings of and abuses against protesters since December 2018.

 Jehanne Henry, associate Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said that the investigation “needs to be a priority for Sudan’s new leaders,” and that they “should show they are serious about justice.”

 Henry added that “Sudan should cooperate with the UN’s Human Rights Council, currently in session, and with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights to ensure that credible investigations are carried out as soon as possible.”

SUDAN NEWS ALERT: Multiple sources – Some internet service restored in Sudan after court ruling

9/7/19: Multiple sources – Some internet service restored in Sudan after court ruling

• Reuters

• AFP

 Some mobile internet users in Sudan were back online on Tuesday after a court ordered telecoms companies to end a weeks-long blackout ordered by the authorities to contain political protests.

The connections for MTN and Sudani, two of the main providers, were only restored after a court ruling on Tuesday, said Abdel-Adheem Hassan, a lawyer who had launched lawsuits challenging the internet cut.

It was unclear when services from the third main operator, Zain, would be restored.