What's happening in Sudan? |
| Credit: Shutterstock |
The Scenario in Sudan
• Sudan has descended into crisis after the military dissolved the country's power-sharing government and declared a state of emergency on 25th October 2021.
• Members of Sudan's cabinet and a large number of pro government party leaders were arrested by the military.
• On top of the political tensions, Sudan's economy has been in a deep crisis, with high inflation and shortages of food, fuel and medicine.
• The coup has alarmed many international powers who have only recently been forging relations with Sudan after years of isolation.
What lead to this coup?
• Military and civilian leaders have been sharing power since August 2019 after Sudan's long-term authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir was overthrown.
• Bashir was toppled by the military but mass street demonstrations demanding civilian rule forced the military to negotiate a plan aimed at moving to a democratic government.
• The country is now supposed to be in that transition, with civilians and military leaders running the country together on a joint committee known as the Sovereign Council.
• Military leaders in the transitional government have demanded reforms from their civilian counterparts and called for the cabinet to be replaced. This was dismissed as a power grab by civilian leaders.
• The pro-military protesters accused the government of failing to revive the country's fortunes.
Effect on the Economy
• A worsening economic crisis that sent the currency plunging and created frequent shortages of bread and fuel was the trigger for the governments downfall.
• The transitional government has implemented harsh, rapid reforms monitored by the International Monetary Fund in a successful bid for debt relief and to attract foreign financing.
• In the wake of the reforms, inflation rose to historic highs of more than 400 per cent and many Sudanese complain of struggling to get by.
• There have been occasional protests over economic conditions.
0 Comments