KHARTOUM, JUBA: Protesters blocked Port Sudan’s container terminal and a road between the eastern city and the capital Khartoum on Sunday to protest against a peace deal signed by the government and groups from across the country, a union official and residents said.
The deal, ratified on Saturday in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, was focused on resolving conflicts in the western Darfur region and southern states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan.
Groups from other regions also signed, but some in the east say the two factions that participated in the “eastern track” of the peace process do not represent political forces on the ground.
The deal is aimed at ending decades of conflict in Sudan and uniting the country behind a political transition following the ouster of former leader Omar Bashir in April 2019.
However, the two most active groups in the west and the south did not sign, and analysts say that during negotiations, local communities were not widely consulted by military and civilian authorities now sharing power.
Politics in eastern Sudan are volatile because of violent tribal tensions that affected Port Sudan and Kassala recently, positioning by regional powers including wealthy Gulf states, and anger over a long-running economic crisis and the failure of public services.
Workers at the southern port, Sudan’s main sea terminal for containers, and at Suakin port to the south, were on strike over the peace deal, said Aboud El-Sherbiny, head of the Port Sudan Workers Union.
“We demand the cancelation of the ‘eastern track’ and the agreement that was signed yesterday in Juba because this track expresses an external agenda,” he said.
“We will take escalatory steps if this demand is not met.”
The peace talks were mediated by South Sudan whose leaders themselves battled Khartoum as rebels for decades before achieving independence in 2011 and who are still struggling to bring peace to their own country.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir warned that implementing the deal would not be an easy task and urged the international community to lend its support.
“We have no illusion that the implementation of the peace agreement we are celebrating today will be an easy business especially with the economic realities facing Sudan presently,” he said.
“Sudan needs financial resources to rebuild the infrastructure destroyed by the war and floods.”
The economy has suffered from the country’s inclusion on Washington’s terror blacklist, decades-long US sanctions and the 2011 secession of the country’ oil-rich south which deprived the north of three-quarters of its oil reserves.
Economic hardship triggered the anti-Bashir protests and remain a pressing concern — food prices have tripled in the past year and the Sudanese pound has depreciated dramatically.
Recent flooding, which has affected nearly 830,000 people, has worsened the situation.
The government that was led by Bashir for three decades fought multiple conflicts with rebels, including a devastating war in Darfur and the 1983-2005 war that led to the secession of the south.
The final signing ceremony was held in South Sudan’s capital Juba the Mausoleum of John Garang, one of the south’s leaders during the war.
Entertainers from South Sudan and Sudan performed for thousands of guests, many of them Sudanese refugees.
Abdal Aziz, 32, who fled Darfur six years ago and has been living as a refugee in South Sudan said he believed the peace deal would end the conflict.
“It is well known since independence of Sudan there is no stability, there is no social economic development,” he said.
Port Sudan container terminal blocked in peace deal protest
https://arab.news/23w5u
Port Sudan container terminal blocked in peace deal protest
- Politics in eastern Sudan are volatile because of violent tribal tensions that affected Port Sudan and Kassala recently
Yemen PM Al-Zindani to Asharq Al-Awsat: Govt. to move to Aden soon, Foreign Ministry retained to complete reforms
- Dr. Shaya Al-Zindani pledges gradual institutional rebuilding as government prepares to relocate to Aden and restore effective governance
- New prime minister retains foreign affairs portfolio to complete diplomatic restructuring and reinforce Yemen’s international standing
RIYADH: Yemen’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Dr. Shaya Al-Zindani, has signaled the first concrete move by his newly sworn-in government, announcing that it will relocate to Aden in the near future, just 24 hours after taking the constitutional oath.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Zindani said his decision to retain the foreign affairs portfolio was driven by the need “to complete the work already begun,” stressing that a return to Yemen is essential to restoring effective governance.
He noted that the move inside the country is a necessary step to activate performance, adding that a presence in Aden must be linked to a genuine ability to manage state files and restore regular institutional functioning.
The comments came during a special episode of the Asharq Al-Awsat Podcast, recorded at Asharq TV studios at the Saudi Research and Media Group headquarters in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District.
Al-Zindani spoke at a time of acute economic pressure and heightened political expectations.
He said the current phase does not allow for expansive rhetoric, but rather requires gradual, practical work to rebuild confidence, noting that stabilizing institutional rhythm must precede any expansion of objectives.
Addressing questions on the composition of his cabinet, Al-Zindani highlighted that ministers were selected on purely professional criteria, based on competence, specialization, and experience, away from partisan dictates.
He emphasized that weak institutional foundations had been a central cause of past failures, underscoring the need to rebuild state structures and strengthen oversight.
He pointed to relative improvements in some public services, particularly electricity, with Saudi support, while noting that the real challenge lies in sustaining economic reforms and managing resources effectively.
On accountability, he argued that unifying political decision-making has opened the door to enforcing the rule of law. When authority is unified, reward and punishment become possible, he underlined.
On economic policy, Al-Zindani avoided quick promises, instead focusing on resource management and reprioritization.
Recovery, he said, cannot be achieved through piecemeal decisions but requires restructuring public finance, enhancing transparency, and activating oversight mechanisms.
He stressed that financial stability is the foundation for any tangible improvement in citizens’ lives and for restoring domestic and international confidence.
He continued that working from within Yemen will enable the government to better understand societal priorities and reassert the state’s presence in public life, an influence eroded by years of conflict.
He described taking the oath in Riyadh as a constitutional and security necessity dictated by circumstances, arguing that attention should focus on the substance of government action rather than symbolism.
On security, Al-Zindani adopted a cautious, realistic tone, acknowledging that years of accumulated challenges cannot be erased quickly.
Still, he said coordination among security agencies and unified political leadership have led to relative improvements.
While recognizing protests as part of transitional phases, he stressed the need for adherence to legal frameworks to preserve stability and avoid derailment of recovery efforts.
According to the Yemeni official, reorganizing the armed forces requires unified command and redeploying units outside cities to consolidate state authority and reduce overlap between military and security roles.
He noted that multiple loyalties in previous phases weakened institutions and must be overcome to restore stability.
Internationally, he said unified political representation strengthens Yemen’s legal and diplomatic standing.
He justified retaining the foreign ministry to complete reforms already underway, including restructuring the ministry and overseas missions, describing diplomatic normalization as integral to rebuilding the state.
He further described relations with Saudi Arabia as having evolved from traditional support into a multi-dimensional partnership impacting vital sectors, with scope to expand cooperation in development and economic stability.
On the Houthis, Al-Zindani said the government showed flexibility in peace efforts but faced repeated noncompliance, adding that recent military and economic developments have weakened the group’s position.
Any future negotiations, he stressed, must rest on clear references, with unified anti-Houthi forces giving the government a stronger negotiating hand amid rapid regional and international shifts.
