SUdan – The Sudan Finance Minister, Gibril Ibrahim is appealing for financial aid for Sudan to move forward in a flux that it is stuck, yet again. In October, General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, Sudan’s top military leader took the radical step to dissolve the government and the Transitional Council, arresting many political leaders and activists, including Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who is currently under house arrest.
Finance Minister, Gibril Ibrahim could keep his position. One could thank the Juba Peace Agreement. He hopes to be a part of the new government when it is announced. Burhan had plans to announce a new Transitional Council last week. But that went on a halt. He is likely to announce a technocrat government soon. It is still not known whether Hamdok will agree to be a part of the new government.
In the interim, Gibril is trying to garner financial aid from the world. He believes there should be a policy to bring peace and democracy in the country. He calls for continued international support for a smooth transition to democracy. He also believes that senior politicians detained during last month’s military coup would soon be freed.
The ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir and his Islamist government happened in the middle of a fragile transition in Sudan. The transitional government now faces economic issues and this has become is the main point of concern for Gibril. Additionally, long-time US sanctions have also excluded the country from the world economy. Sanctions were lifted last year and hope increased for an influx of foreign investment.
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But everything came to a halt with the military takeover on October 25th, with the US suspending $700 million (618.6 million Euros) indirect financial assistance and the World Bank suspending aid of up to $2 billion (1.8 billion Euros). Mediation efforts are ongoing with top US diplomat Molly Phee visiting Khartoum.
Gibril has reasons to appeal for help from the world. In his public message via a television interview, he said, “The policies of countries towards Sudan should not be just linked to a person – Gibril, or (Prime Minister Abdalla) Hamdok or (military leader Abdel-Fattah Burhan) or anybody. It should be rather linked to the policy, to policies and if we are moving towards democracy, moving towards a civilian government, towards elections, then the international community should continue supporting the reform.”
He also shared that those detained will be released soon, ‘starting with the prime minister’. I expect that all political detainees will be free very soon, that’s if the military honours its own word,” he said. The military coup has not only attracted international criticism, but created civilian unrest on the streets of Sudan and other places in the country. This has caused death of at least 23 protesters since Oct. 25, according to the Sudanese Doctors’ Committee.
