FACTBOX-Sudan's Abdalla Hamdok

"The Sudanese people have borne a very high cost of the reforms and we cannot take their patience for granted," he said. - He is a firm supporter of Sudan's transition to civilian-led rule.


Reuters | Updated: 21-11-2021 13:12 IST | Created: 21-11-2021 13:07 IST
FACTBOX-Sudan's Abdalla Hamdok
Image Credit: Twitter(@Mo_IbrahimFdn)
  • Country:
  • Sudan

Abdalla Hamdok led Sudan's transitional government until the military dissolved his cabinet and placed him under house arrest on Oct. 25. The head of the Umma Party told Reuters on Sunday that the military plan to reinstate Hamdok following weeks of unrest. Fadlallah Burma Nasir said Hamdok will form an independent cabinet of technocrats, and all political detainees will be released under an agreement between the military and civilian political parties.

WHO IS HAMDOK? - Before becoming prime minister, Hamdok worked for the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank, and as a special advisor at the Trade and Development Bank in Ethiopia. He studied economics at the universities of Khartoum and Manchester.

- He was named prime minister in August 2019 by the Sovereign Council, a ruling body of civilians and the army that was set up to oversee a transition towards democracy after long-serving ruler Omar al-Bashir was toppled. - Upon taking office, he said his priorities included solving a deep economic crisis, addressing a suffocating public debt burden, and achieving peace in a country long fractured by civil wars.

- He quickly started talks with International Monetary Fund and World Bank to discuss restructuring Sudan's crippling debt. - He also opened talks with the United States to have Sudan removed from its list of states that sponsor terrorism, a designation that had isolated Sudan from the international financial system since 1993. Sudan was removed from the list in 2020.

- On his watch, the IMF accepted Sudan into the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative based on the country's commitment to macroeconomic reforms. This meant Sudan could finally access debt forgiveness and new funds. - The major economic reforms he promoted included the removal of fuel subsidies that cost several billion dollars a year, and the devaluation and floating of the Sudanese currency. He also sought to bring under government control firms owned by the security forces.

- The reforms led to rapid IMF approval for relief on more than $56 bln in debt and IMF funding of $2.5 bln over three years. - A few weeks before he was removed from office, he acknowledged the hardship arising from reforms but expressed hope that their positive impact would be felt on the ground very soon. "The Sudanese people have borne a very high cost of the reforms and we cannot take their patience for granted," he said.

- He is a firm supporter of Sudan's transition to civilian-led rule. As tensions grew between the army and civilians in the power-sharing administration in September, Hamdok presented a roadmap out of the crisis while adding: "I am not neutral or a mediator in this conflict. My clear and firm position is complete alignment to the civilian democratic transition." - His stance has won him support among the population. During rallies against the coup, protesters carried photos of Hamdok and hung banners featuring him from billboards.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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