CAIRO: Tens of thousands of Sudanese took to the streets across the country Saturday, in the largest pro-democracy protest yet since the military seized control earlier this week.
Three protesters were killed and dozens injured — several by live rounds — as security forces opened fire in several locations, a doctors’ union said.
The coup, condemned by the international community, has threatened to derail Sudan’s fitful transition to democracy, which began after the 2019 ouster of long-time autocrat Omar Al-Bashir. Since then, the military and civilian leaders have governed in an uneasy partnership.
Pro-democracy groups had called for protests across the country Saturday to demand the re-instating of a deposed transitional government and the release of senior political figures from detention.
The United States and the United Nations had warned Sudan’s strongman, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, that they view the military’s treatment of the protesters as a test, and called for restraint.
Burhan has claimed that the transition to democracy would continue despite the military takeover, saying he would install a new technocrat government soon. But the pro-democracy movement in Sudan fears the military has no intention of easing its grip, and will appoint politicians it can control.
Saturday’s large turnout is bound to increase pressure on the generals who face condemnations from the US and other Western countries to restore a civilian-led government.
Crowds began to gather Saturday afternoon in the capital of Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman. Marchers chanted “Give it up, Burhan,” and “revolution, revolution.” Some held up banners reading, “Going backward is impossible.”
The demonstrations were called by the Sudanese Professionals’ Association and the so-called Resistance Committees. Both were at the forefront of an uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Omar Al-Bashir and his Islamist government in 2019. They are also calling for the dismantling of paramilitary groups and restructuring of the military, intelligence and security agencies.
All three protesters killed Saturday were shot in Omdurman. One was shot in his head, another in his stomach, and a third in his chest, the Sudan Doctors Committee and protesters said.
The committee, which is part of the Sudanese Professionals’ Association, said security forces had used live ammunition against protesters in Omdurman and nearby. It said it counted more than 110 people wounded, some with gunshots, in Khartoum, Omdurman and the eastern province of Al-Qadarif.
Sudanese police denied using live ammunition and said in a statement that a policeman was wounded by gunfire. They said they used tear gas to disperse groups of demonstrators who allegedly attacked their forces and “important positions.” The statement did not elaborate.
Elsewhere, security forces fired tear gas at protesters as they attempted to cross the Manshia Bridge over the Nile River to reach Khartoum’s downtown, said Mohammed Yousef Al-Mustafa, a spokesman for the professionals’ association.
“No power-sharing mediation with the military council again,” he said, marching at an area protest.
Anti-coup protests also erupted in other areas, including the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, Kassala in eastern Sudan, and Obeid, in North Kordofan province, according to activists.
As night fell, plain clothes security forces chased off protesters in Khartoum and Omdurman, to prevent them from setting up sit-ins, activists said. In some neighborhoods, protesters blocked roads with makeshift barricades.
Earlier on Saturday, security forces blocked major roads and bridges linking Khartoum’s neighborhoods. Security was tight downtown and outside the military’s headquarters, the site of a major sit-in during the 2019 uprising.
Since the military takeover, street protests have been daily. With Saturday’s fatal shootings, the overall number of people killed by security forces since the coup rose to 12, according to the Sudan Doctors’ Committee and activists. More than 280 others were wounded. Troops have fired live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas at anti-coup demonstrators, and beat protesters with sticks in recent days.
Meanwhile, talks are ongoing to try to mitigate the crisis.
Late Friday, the UN special envoy for Sudan, Volker Perthes, met with Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, a coup leader seen as close to Burhan. Dagalo commands the feared Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary unit that controls the streets of Khartoum and played a major role in the coup.
He said the UN’s transition mission for Sudan is facilitating dialogue between the top generals and civilian leaders. Perthes said this “remains the only path toward a peaceful solution to the current crisis.”
A Sudanese military official said Saturday that a UN-supported national committee began separate meetings with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Burhan to find common ground.
The official said Hamdok demanded the release of all government officials and political figures arrested since the coup. Burhan, the official said, gave an initial approval to release “most” of the detained, but rejected the release of others, including Khalid Omar, the minister of Cabinet Affairs, saying they face accusations of inciting troops to rebellion.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasn’t authorized to release the information.
Meanwhile, the UN said it is closely monitoring security forces’ response on Saturday.
“They will be held individually accountable for any excessive use of force against protesters,” said Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, the UN special rapporteur on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Burhan has claimed that the takeover was necessary to prevent a civil war, citing what he said were growing divisions among political groups. However, the takeover came less than a month before he was to have handed some power to a civilian.
Burhan installed himself as head of a military council that he said will rule Sudan until elections in July 2023. Observers say it’s doubtful the military will allow a full transition to civilian rule, if only to block civilian oversight of the military’s large financial holdings.
Tens of thousands protest Sudan’s coup, 3 protesters killed
https://arab.news/bz37f
Tens of thousands protest Sudan’s coup, 3 protesters killed
- Resistance Committees accuse security forces of using live bullets against protesters
- UN-supported national committee hold separate meetings with PM Hamdok and coup leader to find common ground
Jordan welcomes UK delegation to introduce weather forecasting project
- Project aims to provide meteorological data and early warnings to refugee-hosting communities
AMMAN: Jordanian Transport Minister Wesam Altahtamouni welcomed a delegation from the British Embassy in Amman and the British Meteorological Office on Monday.
The meeting came as part of the UK Foreign Ministry’s efforts to implement the Jahez project, which aims to provide meteorological data and early warnings to refugee-hosting communities, Jordan News Agency reported.
Jahez, which will span three to five years, aims to develop proactive plans and long-term strategies, enhance monitoring and forecasting systems, and implement resilience-building measures to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The collaboration will involve Jordan’s ministries of transport, environment, planning, water and irrigation, as well as relevant municipalities.
Helen Ticehurst from the British Meteorological Office explained the British Meteorological Office’s operations and the objectives of Jahez.
The project also focuses on climate finance for countries hosting refugees.
Altahtamouni praised the British delegation for its willingness to provide technical assistance, leveraging the expertise of the British Meteorological Office in proactive weather forecasting and climate change adaptation.
Djibouti FM to stand at African Union Commission elections
- Mahamoud Ali Youssouf calls for resolution of conflicts in Sudan, Gulf of Aden and Gaza
- Mahamoud Ali Youssouf: The only thing we know for sure today is that the next president will come from an East African country
RIYADH: Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation of the Republic of Djibouti, intends to stand for election to the African Union Commission.
The commission is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Its main functions are to represent the AU and defend its interests under the authority and mandate of the assembly and executive council.
The minister said that the main objectives of the commission are to promote integration, economic and social development, peace, security and human rights on the continent. It also aims to strengthen continental and international cooperation.
Tradition dictates that the president of the commission should be elected for a renewable four-year term, and should obviously be African, especially as the next session will be chaired by the East African Community, which includes Djibouti among its members.
The diplomat believes that winning these elections will contribute greatly to strengthening integration between the countries of the continent, as well as to reinforcing African relations with various other geographical groups, given the international and regional acceptance and respect enjoyed by Djibouti thanks to its balanced foreign policy.
Youssouf said he had been encouraged to stand as a candidate in the forthcoming elections by the respect and diplomatic appreciation that Djibouti possesses, highlighting also his long personal experience in the diplomatic field as an ambassador and then as minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation since 2005, and his in-depth knowledge of the work of the AU.
He said that a good knowledge of continental affairs is essential to occupy such an important position, adding that such an organization needs experienced leaders and diplomats to effectively promote continental and international cooperation given the continent’s current circumstances.
“The only thing we know for sure today is that the next president will come from an East African country. It will then be up to the member states to decide on the day of the vote,” he said.
Youssouf said that if elected, he will focus, in the interests of the African people, on three important areas: strengthening cooperation and economic integration between the countries of the continent; developing continental and international cooperation; and cooperation with international and regional organizations such as the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League.
In early January, the Somaliland region signed an agreement with Ethiopia granting it a maritime opening to the Gulf of Aden. This treaty led to a political crisis between Ethiopia and neighboring Somalia, which promptly cancelled the memorandum, calling it illegal.
Youssouf said Djibouti currently chairs the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and that Somalia and Ethiopia are members, along with other countries in the region, which gives it an additional responsibility in mediating between the two. He said that settlement efforts are continuing with Djibouti and Kenya mediating, with hopes that the two parties will reach an agreement soon.
He added that Djibouti, through its current presidency of IGAD, is very interested in seeing diplomatic relations between Somalia and Ethiopia return to what they were before the signing of the MoU.
Youssouf maintains that other crises in the world have distracted attention from Africa’s bloodiest conflict in Sudan, calling it the most forgotten crisis, especially when it comes to refugees and population displacement. He said that over 6.5 million Sudanese have been forced to leave their homes, with over a third of them displaced outside the country, and that the proliferation of ethnically-based militias in the current conflict is equally alarming.
As Sudan is a founding member of IGAD, he said Djibouti is making intense and continuous efforts in coordination with the other member states and the international community, notably the US and Saudi Arabia, to find a solution to the ongoing conflict in this brotherly country.
He also revealed that his country had already received representatives of the parties responsible for the crisis in Sudan to listen to their points of view and their vision for a solution. It should be noted that all have affirmed their desire to put an end to the war, and hope that these efforts will lead to a permanent and unconditional ceasefire, Youssouf said.
Recently, attacks on ships in the Red Sea have intensified, targeting vessels and disrupting this most important maritime passage. Youssouf said Djibouti is following these developments with great concern, specifying that the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, overlooked by Djibouti, is considered an international passage of extreme importance from a political and economic point of view.
He confirmed that any breach of security in this area has global repercussions, given its role as a vital artery for international trade, and called for solutions to be found to the various crises in the region, so that everyone can enjoy peace and security.
With regard to the war on Gaza, Youssouf urged the international community to assume its responsibilities and put an end to the Israeli campaign which has cost the lives of over 34,000 people, as well as the resulting displacement and famine threatening the lives of millions of children.
Jordan nominates ancient Mehras olive trees for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list
- Culture minister underscored the profound importance of the olive tree in Jordanian society
AMMAN: Jordan has nominated its Mehras olive trees for inclusion on UNESCO’s representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage for the year 2025, Jordan News Agency reported on Monday.
According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, Jordan has some of the world’s most ancient habitats for olive trees.
Olive trees cover approximately 30 percent of all cultivated land in Jordan, constituting 75 percent of fruit trees. The olive trees hold immense significance for Jordan’s economy, environment, and culture.
Jordanian Culture Minister Haifa Najjar highlighted the importance of the tree to Jordanian heritage, drawing attention to its regional and international significance.
The minister underscored the profound importance of the olive tree in Jordanian society, representing both agricultural prowess and the cultural heritage deeply ingrained in the lives of its people.
She commended the collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Culture and national stakeholders in finalizing the nomination dossier for “The Ancient Olive Tree — Al-Mehras” to be presented to UNESCO in Paris.
Najjar noted the ministry’s commitment to documenting and safeguarding elements of intangible cultural heritage and the positive effect of such nominations on Jordan’s cultural presence globally.
The ministry previously secured UNESCO recognition for Jordanian cultural elements such as As-Samer traditional dance and mansaf, a traditional dish.
The ministry has participated in joint Arab nominations to UNESCO, highlighting the interconnectedness of cultural practices across the region. Previous submissions included files on date palm cultivation and Arabic calligraphy.
Looking ahead, Najjar mentioned joint Arab nominations currently under consideration for the 2025 UNESCO list. These encompass an array of practices and traditions, including mud architecture, traditional attire for men, musical instruments such as the oud, and various crafts and skills associated with Arab cultural heritage.
Dubai launches major AI economic strategy
- Crown prince said initial phase of plan, by leveraging AI, would enhance quality of life and well-being for Dubai residents
RIYADH: Dubai’s crown prince on Monday launched a major artificial intelligence drive across government, business and education in the emirate.
The Dubai Universal Blueprint for Artificial Intelligence aims to achieve the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 — to double the size of the economy by 2033 — by adding AED100 billion ($27 billion) from digital transformation and increasing economic productivity by 50 percent.
The strategy includes appointing chief Al officers in government entities, the launch of a Dubai AI and Web3 campus, the launch of AI weeks at the emirate’s schools, a plan to attract data centers and the launch of a trade license for AI.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al-Maktoum said that the initial phase of the plan, by leveraging AI, would enhance quality of life and well-being for Dubai residents.
“Dedicated incubators and campuses for artificial intelligence will be launched to further enhance Dubai’s vibrant AI ecosystem, and finally AI will be celebrated in Dubai schools with the introduction of an AI week,” he said on X.
“We will annually review, update and introduce new projects under this plan, ensuring it keeps pace with all developments. Dubai is a city centered around its people, and to this end, we will dedicate all our resources and energy to make it the happiest place in the world.”
The crown prince said: “In 1999, his highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum initiated the pioneering journey of the future by launching Dubai’s digital transformation, a venture that has continued to achieve milestones, leading to the recent unveiling of the Dubai Digital Strategy last year.
“We have realized record-breaking accomplishments that have established us as the premier hub for billion-dollar global enterprises in the technology and artificial intelligence sectors within the region,” he added.
Sheikh Hamdan said that the evolution of AI is presenting opportunities for nations and governments, but posing challenges to those unable to keep pace.
For Dubai, this requires a “swift and adaptive action plan,” responding to the “rapid changes in technology and AI,” he added.
UAE clothing brand ‘The Giving Movement’ donates over $800,000 to Gaza
- Donations earmarked for hot meals, food packages, and the provision of emergency shelter
DUBAI: A UAE-based sustainable clothing brand said on Monday that it had contributed more than AED 3 million ($816,798) in emergency relief aid for Gaza since the beginning of Israel’s war on the Palestinian enclave.
All proceeds donated to Dubai Cares charity by The Giving Movement were earmarked for the delivery of crucial support to Palestinians in Gaza, including hot meals, food packages, and the provision of emergency shelter.
The brand raised the money through the “Gaza In Our Hearts” fundraising campaign.
Dubai Cares has forged a partnership with American Near East Refugee Aid, a nongovernmental organisation, collaborating closely with UN agencies, diplomatic channels, and other NGOs to establish aid channels for swift and effective delivery of life-saving supplies.
Dr. Tariq Al-Gurg, CEO of Dubai Cares, commended the clothing brand for its philanthropic efforts.
“The Giving Movement has truly embodied its brand name and set an example for other brands to make a positive impact on the lives of those who urgently need our assistance,” he said.
Dominic Nowell-Barnes, founder of The Giving Movement, said: “Our collaboration with Dubai Cares underscores our commitment to standing with the community and providing assistance to those in need.
