A former prime minister of Sudan has urged the UK government to lead the push for more boots on the ground to protect civilians, warning that the country’s ethnic divisions are resurfacing.
Abdalla Hamdok urged Britain to use its November presidency of the UN Security Council to create safe zones for Sudanese civilians supported by international peacekeeping forces.
During a visit to the UK, where he met top diplomats and MPs, Mr Hamdok said he had raised the need for peacekeeping forces with “many people”, including the UK government. “The question is how do we make it happen. It would require a lot of mobilisation,” he said. His comments come days after UN Secretary General Anthony Guterres declined to deploy a peacekeeping force to Sudan, stating that the required “conditions do not exist”.
Mr Hamdok said he was “very much disappointed” by Mr Guterres's comments. “We have to think about enforcing a no-fly zone and having safe zones inside the country, even to the point where we should boldly talk about bringing boots on the ground to protect the civilians,” he said.
More than 12 million people have been internally displaced and 25 million face famine owing to a conflict between the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, since April 2023. More than 15,000 people have been killed, and thousands have died from cholera and other diseases.
Mr Hamdok heads the civilian-led coalition Taqqadum, an umbrella group of political parties seeking an end to the war and to military rule in Sudan. The UK took up its presidency of the UN Security Council on Friday, and is also the UN pen holder for Sudan, which means it leads the drafting and negotiation of resolutions related to the country. Mr Hamdok was due to meet Foreign Secretary David Lammy, having met members of the UK's Foreign Affairs Committee.
“There is a need for more bold actions,” said Khalid Omer Yousif, a former cabinet minister who travelled to London with Mr Hamdok as part of Taqqadum. Repeating the call for safe zones, he told The National: “These actions should be taken at the level of the Security Council and at the higher level. We are advocating for the major international powers to push for these actions.”
He said more pressure was also needed to persuade the two rival generals to end their war, which has come at an enormous cost to civilians. “Sometimes the internationals are too soft in their approach to bring the fighting parties to the table and to make them commit to what they sign,” he said. “There is a need for more pressure on the two fighting parties.”
Ethnic war
The Sudanese are divided between those fighting on the sides of the two warring generals and the civilians caught in between who want peace, Mr Hamdok told the foreign affairs think tank Chatham House on Thursday. “Now you have two camps: people who are calling for peace and ending the war. And those who are the warmongers, calling for war and destruction,” he said.
A UN probe this week accused both sides of war crimes, and found the RSF was responsible for mass killings, sexual violence, and brutal assaults against non-Arab communities. The “most worrying recent development”, Mr Hamdok said, was that the two warring sides had begun recruiting along ethnic lines from the country’s diverse tribes and minority groups. “It creates a rift in our society, which would become extremely challenging to push back,” he said.
There are questions now as to whether Sudan can remain as one country, over a decade after it split with South Sudan. “The situation is leading to the partition of the country. We will end up in multiple failed states,” Mr Hamdok warned. He urged the UK to use its position to steer the international community into an “inclusive” peace process for Sudan that involves civilian community groups.
He said a “round table conference” bringing together the “widest front possible” is needed. “There is no military solution. This conflict can only be solved through a political process and through dialogue,” he said. “We hope the UK, as a pen holder, will work with us on all these things,” he said.
Hope for democracy
Sudan has been governed by the military since the republic was formed in the 1950s. There have been 17 military coups in that period, the most on the African continent. A revolution in 2019 overthrew military dictator Omar Al Bashir and led to the establishment of a civilian-led government headed by Mr Hamdok. That ended in a military coup two years later.
Mr Yousif believes the Sudanese still had “hope” for Sudan's short-lived civilian-led government. “There were many things achieved in less than two years. The war stopped all around Sudan in these two years. Sudan opened up to the world and ended isolation that happened during the Bashir era,” he said.
He hopes that any peace talks will lead to the re-election of a civilian government, and put an end to military rule once and for all. “The only way to achieve sustainable peace is through a democratic transition,” Mr Yousif told The National.
Military rule, he says, is a “root cause” of the conflict. “There should be no more engagement of the military in politics and the economy. It should just abide by its role,” he said.
Mr Yousif fled Sudan three months into the war, and is now based in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. A longtime critic of the military in Sudan, he was detained in 2022, after the military takeover.
The current international efforts towards Sudan, Mr Yousif said, are “fragmented” and focused on mediation between the two warring parties. “There is a need for a unified platform, one political, one peace process with multi-tracks,” he said. The last round of peace talks failed to achieve a ceasefire.
He suggested a revival of the Sudan Troika, when the US, UK and Norway led a peace agreement in 2005 ending two decades of civil war in the country. The Troika would work with the African Union and other regional actors to lead the peace process.
Meanwhile, Mr Hamdok’s re-emergence with Taqqadum has been mired in division. Some people feel he failed the democratic cause when he signed a power-sharing agreement with the Sudanese military after the 2021 coup. The agreement led to mass protests and Mr Hamdok’s resignation in 2022.
Mr Hamdok said that while he would lead the Taqqadum movement now, he has no intention of running to be prime minister again. “My mission ends when we stop this war,” he said.
Some critics also accuse Mr Hamdok of siding with the RSF, a charge he firmly denies. A large group of protesters chanting “peace”, “one nation, one army”, and waving Sudanese flags were outside Chatham House before his arrival, and prevented his exit.
UK MPs call for no-fly zone
The UK’s Liberal Democrats urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to show leadership on the escalating situation in Sudan. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “Tens of thousands of people have been killed; 11 million Sudanese have had to flee from their homes.
“The reports of mass killings and horrifying sexual violence against women are truly stomach-churning. Will the Prime Minister make it a priority to secure a new resolution on preventing future atrocities, including a no-fly zone to stop Iranian drones?”
Mr Starmer told MPs the conflict in Sudan was not being discussed “enough”. He added that the UK was “working with international partners, including as pen holder of the UN Security Council, to end the violence, secure humanitarian access and ensure the protection of civilians is a priority.”
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Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
The biog
Age: 35
Inspiration: Wife and kids
Favourite book: Changes all the time but my new favourite is Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Best Travel Destination: Bora Bora , French Polynesia
Favourite run: Jabel Hafeet, I also enjoy running the 30km loop in Al Wathba cycling track
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HAJJAN
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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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COMPANY%20PROFILE%3A
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Pakistan squad
Sarfraz (c), Zaman, Imam, Masood, Azam, Malik, Asif, Sohail, Shadab, Nawaz, Ashraf, Hasan, Amir, Junaid, Shinwari and Afridi
EA Sports FC 24
World Series
Game 1: Red Sox 8, Dodgers 4
Game 2: Red Sox 4, Dodgers 2
Game 3: Saturday (UAE)
* if needed
Game 4: Sunday
Game 5: Monday
Game 6: Wednesday
Game 7: Thursday
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
