KHARTOUM, January 2 (Reuters) – Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday announced his resignation, six weeks after returning to power in a contested political deal with the military.
Abdalla Hamdok, who has failed to reestablish a civilian government as large protests continue against the military coup in October, said a roundtable was needed to reach a new deal for the country’s transition to democracy.
“I have decided (…) to announce my resignation from the post of Prime Minister and to give another man or another woman of this noble country a chance to (…) help him through what remains of period of transition to a democratic country, “he said in a televised address.
His resignation heightens the uncertainty over the political future of Sudan, three years after the uprising that led to the overthrow of Omar al Bchir.
Economist and former United Nations official who is highly respected by the international community, Abdalla Hamdok became Prime Minister as part of a power-sharing agreement between soldiers and civilians after the overthrow of Bchir in 2019.
He was dismissed on October 25 after a coup led by the army and then returned to his post a month later under the terms of a political agreement with the junta, which had committed the release of all political prisoners.
But this agreement was denounced by many members of the civil coalition, which had previously supported Hamdok, and by demonstrators who multiplied large rallies against the military regime.
On Sunday, a few hours before the announcement of Abdalla Hamdok’s departure, security forces fired tear gas at protesters in Khartoum as they marched towards the presidential palace.
At least two people have been killed, bringing the death toll to the demonstrations since the putsch to 56, according to an association of doctors close to the protest movement.
Among the economic reforms led by Abdalla Hamdok are the end of fuel subsidies and a sharp devaluation of the currency. These measures enabled the country to benefit from at least 56 billion dollars (49.2 billion euros) in foreign debt relief, although the coup d’état called into question the reduction agreement. debt and freeze the significant economic support provided by the West.
When he returned to power in November, Abdalla Hamdok said he wanted to preserve the economic measures taken by the transitional government and end the “bloodbath” after the growing number of victims of the repression. (Report Nayera Abdalla, Sarah El Safty and the Khartoum office, French version Laetitia Volga)