Sudan’s Prime Minister Hamdok ‘optimistic’ after US meetings

Prime Minister Hamdok has expressed optimism about overcoming the difficulties faced by Sudan after a series of successful meetings during his visit to the USA.

On Thursday evening during a public forum organised by the Atlantic Council in Washington Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok said that currently, the possibility of achieving peace in Sudan is more evident than ever before.

According to the PM, signing a peace agreement with armed movements is just a matter of time. The government has prioritised the issue of comprehensive peace in the country. He also acknowledged the role the armed movements played in the revolution.

He admitted that the peace process faces a quite number of challenges, including the number of the armed groups and the multiple negotiation tracks, as well as the influence of the regional and international interventions in Sudan.

Hamdok pledged to achieve transitional justice in the country. “We will not be satisfied unless justice is achieved to the satisfaction of the victims”, he said.

He further denied the dominance of the military over the peace talks in Juba, capital of South Sudan. He explained that both the military and the civilians in the new administration work in harmony in addressing the issues of peace, development, and economy crisis as well as legal reform and security arrangements.

'Remarkable progress'

The PM asserted that the discourse with the United States on this issue have made "remarkable progress". He expressed his optimism about the outcome of these meetings. Removing Sudan from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism is a decisive factor in the economic advancement and the flow of investments, he said.

The reform of state security institutions is one of the main challenges facing the government, he said. But he pledged to create a national army that can represent all Sudanese people with different values, traditions, and cultures.

Hamdok expressed his commitment to withdraw the Sudanese troops from Yemen. He explained that the number of soldiers has decreased from 15,000 to 5,000. “We have inherited the problem from the former regime, and this conflict can only be resolved through political means, but not a military one,” he said.

The transitional government came about as a historical political compromise that averted bloodshed in the country, he explained. The partnership with the military component will continue. However, Hamdok warned that the failure of the transitional period would make Sudan to a failed state.

The economic situation in the country constitutes one of the primary challenges for the transitional period, he admitted. He called upon partners and friends of Sudan to provide assistance and aid in the fields of development, foreign investment, and capacity-building.

Hamdok expressed his optimism in overcoming the economic crisis with the contribution of the Sudanese people and Sudan’s partners and the continuation of the government’s efforts in its fight corruption in the country.

Deep state

The annulment of the infamous Public Order Law was not a difficult task, he said. However, the decision of dismantling the former regime took quite some time and it was not easy.

He explained that dismantling the deep state does not merely mean the confiscation of the properties and fund rather it means to bring back the Sudanese people’s rights and looted resources.

To dismantle the deep state, there are two dimensions; internal and external elements, he said. Hamdok stated that the Sudanese legal system is competent to bring back the looted resources. However, the external aspect requires supports and help from international partners. He explained that the former regime could not dispose of a lot of money and resources because of the worldwide fight against terrorism.

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