Inside Africa: Sudan’s Turning Point
P A Thompson
Sudan has been in turmoil for decades, though the North African country looks to be teetering on the edge of making some real changes. For years, Sudan has appeared in international headlines because of the off-and-on conflict with its southern neighbor, South Sudan - a conflict which has caused the deaths of approximately 1.5 million. Also, nearly 2 million fled the war-torn region of Darfur where 200,000 have been killed, and, as previously reported in this column, the region is vulnerable to natural disasters due to the seasonal flooding of the Nile River, leaving many struggling to find housing and keep businesses open. The last several decades for Sudan and its neighboring countries have been ones filled with violence, corruption, and conflict. However, recent changes in the state in government and its relationship with other countries have shown that there may be a more positive outlook for the country.
With the guidance and support of the United States, Sudan is looking to normalize its ties with Israel, one of the first of the Arab states to do so. The announcement could be a turning point for Sudan. United States President Donald Trump has assured the Sudanese people he will remove the country from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, opening up international money which would be beneficial to its upcoming transitional phase. Sanctions against the country set by the international community have hindered Sudan economically.
Corruption’s impact on Sudan
Former President Omar al-Bashir served in the position from 1993 to 2019, though he faced much political opposition toward the end of his nearly two-decade rule. His time as leader of Sudan came full circle when he was ousted in a military coup, similar to how he led a coup against the country’s former leadership in 1989. Shortly after, he took on a leadership role in the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation, which ended the parliament, political parties, and limited freedom of the press for a time. He helped implement Sharia law in the country in the early 1990s.
When he was appointed president and the Revolutionary Council disbanded, he failed to let go of the military power which helped him get to the position. He used it to oust an ally early on in his time in office and declared states of emergency he used to extend his rule. Bashir made some effort to squash the conflict with the southern part of the country, which at the time was still a part of Sudan. Much of the conflict was caused in part by Bashir’s push for a more Islamic rule in Sudan despite the southern region being predominantly Christian. South Sudan would eventually gain independence in 2011 and face its own struggles with civil war.
Similar to how the south had felt underrepresented and abused under Bashir’s rule, Darfur began to get restless and in the early 2000s, the unrest grew violent. The fighting brought in much criticism from the international community after Bashir brought in the Arab militia, Janjaweed, and reports of human rights violations and extreme brutality in the Darfur region. As people fled the region in the millions, medical and food supplies were cut off, the conflict raged on, and Bashir would begin to fight against charges brought up by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and even genocide. These charges plagued the last decade of his time as president and ultimately were a swift kick to a country already on its knees because of the violence.
With Bashir out of office following a coup in 2019, the potential to rebuild is there. Trump’s action to remove the country from the list of states who sponsor terrorism - where the country has been since it apparently was a home base for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda who were attacking Kenya and Tanzania - could lead the way to an influx of international aid. The United Nations, however, still has sanctions in place as the world watches the continued conflict in Darfur. Sudan faces an arms embargo, travel ban, and assets freeze, put in place in 2005 in order to squash the violence and promote peace, including with the Janjaweed militia, in the region. Until some sort of peaceful resolution is reached in the region, these sanctions will continue to make getting the needed aid to rebuild and move forward from Sudan’s bleak past and on to a brighter future.
Putting the past behind
Bashir continues to face corruption and genocide charges even after his removal from power, leading many to believe that he could actually answer for his crimes. An 18-member cabinet led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was sworn in August 2019. This cabinet is set to govern Sudan during its 39-month transitional period. The cabinet members also welcomed a civilian-military “sovereign council,” which will hopefully promote peace between the protesters and military officials in the aftermath of the coup. With the new public bodies in place, the country can look to restoring its economy in need of revival after Bashir’s rule and look to providing aid for those who have been adversely impacted by the conflict.
This will not be an easy process. The conflict in Darfur continues, and the economy is a long ways away from reaching its full potential. Like most countries across the continent, Sudan could potentially benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, which the African Union is implementing in hopes that it garners the continent's resources and potential economic power to make the continent less reliant on international markets. Within this agreement, it is understood that Sudan is one of the several African countries which may face additional challenges in fully implementing policy that supports AfCFTA due to underdeveloped infrastructure and industries, though the long-term benefits of the agreement could be of great assistance to Sudan and its developing economy along with the potential aid that could be coming in with the new government.
