When Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok today addresses the investment conference initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron, he can be sure of the full attention not just of the other heads of state and dignitaries, but also of the wider population in his country.
With fuel and food supplies reportedly under stress and rising prices hitting consumers in their pockets, the democratic transition in the vast sub-Saharan country risks to unravel. The weight of hopes and expectations for a democratic dividend in the form of economic progress are palpable.
But even with the best of intentions, the international community may hesitate to open the pockets given the economic uncertainties as a consequence of the pandemic. The potential investors would however be ill-advised to stop short of substantial help as the PM Hamdok and his transitional government are under pressure to provide the goods.
The donor conference organized by the Friends of Sudan (EU, France, Germany , Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States) is surely well aware of the alternatives eager for a bigger stake in the country.
Politicsblog.net 