The commander of Sudan’s most powerful paramilitary force on Sunday tacitly set conditions for the integration of his men into the armed forces, saying the process must be free of politics and mostly done behind closed doors.
Gen Mohamed Dagalo also emphasised the commitment by his Rapid Support Forces to the country’s democratic transition, saying it is a strategic choice that he and his force will not forsake.
Gen Dagalo was speaking at the launch of talks on Sunday on how to bring the RSF under the army's control as part of far-reaching reform of the military and security forces.
The talks are the final phase in efforts to finalise an agreement for a new transition leading to elections.
The talks between the military and a major pro-democracy coalition — Forces for Freedom and Change FFC — are a follow-up to a preliminary agreement in December between the two sides to restore Sudan’s democratic transition nearly four years after the removal of dictator Omar Al Bashir.
The December agreement provides for a civilian-led government to steer the country for 24 months until elections are held. It also stipulates that the army, which seized power in an October 2021 coup, quits politics.
Already, April 6 and 11 have been set as the dates for the declaration of a new agreement and the establishment of a civilian-led government.
“Military and security reforms are not a political endeavour and must not be subjected to a political agenda," Gen Dagalo told participants at the start of the talks.
"It’s a nationalistic effort linked to the supreme interests of the nation."
Reminding listeners that the RSF was legalised in 2013, he said reform must be accompanied by legislation and be part of comprehensive reforms of all state institutions.
“There is no place for noise, chants and slogans in this complex and sensitive technical process, many of whose parts must be dealt with behind closed doors," Gen Dagalo said.
“The Rapid Support Forces has and will be unequivocally committed to the choice of democratic transition."
He said the RSF refused to join the security forces that tried to crush the anti-Bashir street protests in 2018 and 2019, which forced the army to remove the former dictator in April 2019.
Assimilating the RSF into the armed forces and placing the military and security agencies under civilian oversight have been key demands by the pro-democracy movement.
Its supporters have staged many protests against the military since the 2021 coup.
The proposed RSF integration has been a contentious issue between Gen Dagalo and army chief and coup leader Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan.
Gen Dagalo has declared his commitment to the principal of a “single army” but has not unequivocally accepted RSF integration in his public comments.
Gen Al Burhan has said he would not sign off on a political agreement that does not clearly state and give a timeline for the RSF integration in the armed forces.
Tension between the army and the RSF has heightened in recent weeks, prompting troops in the capital Khartoum to go on a high alert.
RSF’s combat-seasoned and well-armed men have been posted across Khartoum since 2019.
Addressing Sunday’s talks, Gen Al Burhan described reforming the military and security agencies as a “long and complicated process” that would not be easy to handle.
“We want to build an armed forces that’s committed to the measures of democratic governments,” he said, pledging that the military would not be an impediment to Sudan’s democratic transition.
Sudan has been ruled by the military for most of the nearly 70 years since independence in 1956, seizing power in coups that toppled freely elected but dysfunctional governments.
Sudan has also been beset by long civil wars in its south and west, draining the country’s resources and deepening its ethnic and religious divides.
The October 25, 2021 coup deepened the country's economic woes, when Sudan's western backers suspended billions of dollars' worth of aid and debt forgiveness.
They say only when a credible democratic transition is restored will they resume helping the vast and underdeveloped nation.
The power grab also created a vacuum in Sudan's outlying areas in the west and south, with ethnic and tribal clashes leaving hundreds dead and tens of thousands displaced.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Power: 295bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: Dh155,000
On sale: now
Brief scoreline:
Al Wahda 2
Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'
Al Nassr 3
Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'
SUZUME
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Total eligible population
About 57.5 million people
51.1 million received a jab
6.4 million have not
Where are the unvaccinated?
England 11%
Scotland 9%
Wales 10%
Northern Ireland 14%
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
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THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
