Sudan's Abdalla Hamdok has agreed to a conditional return as the head of a new government, a senior adviser to the ousted prime minister told The National.
Mr Hamdok's return is dependent on terms set by him, including the release of all political detainees and the reinstatement of the constitutional declaration, the adviser said.
Those detained include Khaled Omar Youssef, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Hashim Hasab Al Rasol, Communications Minister and Mr Hamdok's media adviser Faisal Mohamed Saleh.
Mr Hamdok's potential return comes as protests in several cities in Sudan have continued for more than a week and a civil disobedience campaign gains momentum.
Protesters in the capital Khartoum have flatly rejected any power-sharing agreement with the military.
"The army stabbed us in the back. We will protest against Hamdok himself if he shakes hands again with the generals," Mai Hassan, 49, a protester, told The National.
"There's a huge gap now between the 44 million Sudanese, who are completely against any military representation in the new government. We gave them a chance and will never be fooled again. The more they push us into accepting such deals, the more unstable the country and the region become."
On October 25, army head Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan dissolved the government and declared a state of emergency.
A deadly crackdown on the mass rallies in the capital, Khartoum, ensued and at least 12 people have been killed.
The takeover has sparked a chorus of international condemnation and punitive aid cuts, with world powers demanding a swift return to civilian rule.
Mr Hamdok has asked for the Forces of Freedom and Change to be involved in any negotiations, the adviser said.
The FFC is an alliance of political parties and representatives of armed militias in Darfur and other regions, which led the protests in 2019 against long-time dictator Omar Al Bashir.
In September, the group divided in two, with the splinter group supporting the military.
The breakaway group also accused other parties within the alliance of having antagonised the army.
The power-sharing negotiations have been fraught with problems from the start.
A day after Gen Al Burhan removed Mr Hamdok from office, the military head said he agreed with several of the ousted prime minister's initiatives but ultimately removed him because he was unable to work freely.
The general's main criticism was reserved for the FFC.
He claimed that the takeover was necessary to prevent a civil war, citing what he said were growing divisions among political groups.
Still under house arrest
Mr Hamdok is under arrest in his house in the suburb of Kafouri in northern Khartoum, and has not been allowed to speak to the media.
Over the past week, there have been several initiatives and mediation efforts by Sudanese politicians and industry leaders, the country's neighbours and the UN.
"The talks are being led by politicians from both factions of the FCC, a delegation of businessmen led by Foad Ahmed Mekki Abdi and Anees Hajjar," Mr Hamdok's adviser said. "There's also an initiative from Al Mahjoub Mohamed Saleh," the adviser said, referring to a veteran journalist.
Gen Mohamed Dagolo, the deputy head of the ruling military council, visited Mr Hamdok on Monday, the adviser said.
The escalating crisis comes as Sudan grapples with several national security problems.
It has a border dispute with its eastern neighbour Ethiopia, which is also building a dam on the Nile that has sparked a regional diplomatic stand-off.
The UN special envoy for Sudan said on Monday that Sudanese and international mediation efforts were expected to bear fruit in coming days.
US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffery Feltman said on Tuesday that Gen Al Burhan should allow Mr Hamdok and his Cabinet to resume their work and release government officials and politicians detained in connection with the takeover.
Mr Feltman said the coup “hijacked and betrayed the aspiration of the Sudanese people in a peaceful democratic country”, more than two years after a popular uprising forced the removal of Al Bashir.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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