Saudi Arabia and UAE To Send $3 Billion in Aid To Sudan

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have pledged $3 billion in aid to Sudan, according to their respective state-run news agencies. The majority will be sent in the form of food, medicine and petroleum products, with the remaining $500 million deposited into the Sudanese Central Bank. The move comes amid heightened tensions between Sudan’s Transitional Military Council (TMC) and opposition groups, which recently withdrew recognition of the ruling regime and vowed to escalate months-long demonstrations unless an interim civilian government is created. The current military rulers have publicly stated their intention to govern the country through a transitional period of up to two years. Meanwhile, the African Union threatened to suspend Sudan’s membership unless the TMC hands over power within the next 15 days. For its part, the United States will keep Khartoum on its list of state sponsors of terrorism so long as the army maintains control. On April 11, anti-government protesters succeeded in toppling longtime leader Omar al-Bashir, who previously had close links to and the backing of the military.