Sudan’s prime minister resigns

Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday announced he would step down amid an ongoing political standoff. Hamdok, widely seen as the civilian representation in Sudan’s transitional government, was reinstated as prime minister in a November deal after a military coup a month earlier—the country’s second in two years. He failed to appoint an independent technocratic cabinet mandated under the deal amid heavy opposition from the pro-democracy movement.

What comes next? Hamdok warned the political deadlock could become a full-blown crisis and called for an agreed-upon roadmap to complete the transition to democracy. He did not name a successor. The October coup complicated the transition that began after the military seized power from longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in April 2019. The pro-democracy movement, which has continued to stage protests despite a military crackdown, saw Hamdok’s deal in November as an effort to legitimize the military. The movement has insisted the military hand over leadership to a fully civilian government. The U.S. State Department called on Sudan’s leaders to set aside their differences and appoint the next prime minister and cabinet.

Dig deeper: Listen to my WORLD Radio report on the October coup.