Sudan Shipping Line to be restored

Sovereign Council member Lt Gen Ibrahim Jabir announced that the Sudan Shipping Line will be restored as “a national carrier and pillar of development”.

He attributed the collapse of the shipping line to interference of the former security apparatus in its management and work, “which prompted company staff to search for jobs abroad”.

Jabir said at a press conference in Khartoum yesterday that the shipping line is “a giant company that will bring large profits to the country”. He noted that the company still has highly competent and experienced personnel.

The decision has been widely welcomed by Sudanese people, especially in Port Sudan. Native administration leader Abdallah Mousa told Radio Dabanga that “it is an important step in the right direction which will breathe life into the Sudanese economy.”

He described the liquidation of the Sudan Shipping Line as “one of the biggest crimes committed by the ousted regime”. He called for an investigation and wants to hold the people responsible accountable. “The company's ships were sold to foreign companies as scrap iron, although they functioned efficiently.”

Mousa said that the company's buildings are still there and can be easily restored. He noted that Sudan still has many qualified administrative and technical professionals. He called for the restoration of the company “on correct and modern foundations”. He said the company must benefit from experts both present in Sudan and experts who migrated abroad. “As for the acquisition of new ships, this is not a complicated matter.”

The community leader said that the Sudan Shipping Line, that was established in the early 1960s, owned 13 large ships and supplied the government’s treasury with a lot of hard currency.

Sudan Airways

Sovereign Council member Lt Gen Ibrahim Jabir also announced that the government  will restore the national airline Sudan Airways. Since 2012 Sudan Airways has been fully owned by the Sudanese government. Its airplanes have been banned in the European Union since March 2010 for failure to meet EU regulatory oversight standards. This ban has been reviewed and re-assessed twice a year since then.

Radio Dabanga’s editorial independence means that we can continue to provide factual updates about political developments to Sudanese and international actors, educate people about how to avoid outbreaks of infectious diseases, and provide a window to the world for those in all corners of Sudan. Support Radio Dabanga for as little as €2.50, the equivalent of a cup of coffee.