Sudanese analyst: Nation’s priority in deal with Israel was saving economy

Sudanese analyst Othman Mirghani tells AFP the priority for the government in the normalization deal with Israel was saving the economy, which has seen inflation soar to over 200 percent.

“The government had expected that Sudan’s removal from the US terror list would be linked to normalization with Israel,” says Mirghani, who is also the editor-in-chief of Al Tayyar daily.

“It insisted on the removal from the list, even if it is through Tel Aviv, because a deal would open a door for Sudan’s economy with the international community.”

Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok at a press conference in Khartoum, Sudan, August 21, 2019. (AP Photo, File)

Analysts believe the normalization will fuel anger against Sudan’s government.

“Normalization will add new fuel to existing opposition to the transitional government from backers of the former government, who also see major overlap in interests with the country’s Islamist groups,” says Jonas Horner, from the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank.

“Sudan’s prime minister will be at pains to seek consensus, and to avoid creating deeper divisions during this tenuous transitional period.”

— AFP