SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Foreign Policy – Sudan’s Coup Is a Gamble That Nobody Will Care

29/10/2021: Foreign Policy – Sudan’s Coup Is a Gamble That Nobody Will Care, by Rebecca Hamilton

Rebecca Hamilton, an associate professor at American University’s Washington College of Law, calls for the US to pressure Gulf states to not enable the coup, adding to consistent international messaging the deny the legitimacy of military leader Abdulfattah al-Burhan’s new government.

However, Hamilton warns that the worst outcome of international mediation “is also the most likely,” raising the prospect of the UN Security Councils settling on a plea for restraint and dialogue, which would be welcomed by Sudanese military leaders who risk dissenting ranks if they order mass violence against peaceful protesters, and “al-Burhan “would welcome endless dialogue—provided the military stays in control of Sudan’s assets and continues to evade accountability for its many past atrocities”.

Nonetheless, Hamilton notes that Sudanese people are unlikely to accept this outcome, and their confidence towards, and organisational abilities for, toppling dictators, “have continued to grow”.