The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has been following with concern the recent developments and protests in Sudan, where nearly three weeks of peaceful demonstrations by Sudanese citizens have escalated into violence and a heavy security crackdown.
Following a statement published by the Foundation on 2 January 2019, Dr Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, has commented further on the unfolding political situation in Sudan.
During his interview with the BBC, Mo highlighted:
The message is clear… they [the government] have been rejected now, completely rejected by the people. This is everywhere, in all the towns in Sudan people are coming out and saying: enough is enough.
He added:
70 % of the budget [in Sudan] is spent on security, armed forces, militias. It is no wonder that the country is going backwards. To be able to manage to buy food - even bread - has become difficult.
In his interview with Channel Africa, Dr Ibrahim urged the Sudanese government to find a path forward towards a really democratic and progressive country. "We need a peaceful dialogue to move forward", he said, while calling for maintaining people’s constitutional right to protest peacefully:
Highlighting his hopes for the future of Sudan, Dr Ibrahim stated, "Please, accept a peaceful transition of power and go in peace."
