27 years ago, the US declared Sudan a state sponsor of terrorism, ushering in a raft of sanctions and strict controls to limit a range of nefarious activity by the regime of then-president Omar Al Bashir. On Monday, America removed Sudan from the list, which now includes only Iran, Syria and North Korea.
For three decades, Sudan's people suffered from paranoid and incompetent politics. This blighted the country's economy and global reputation, and bottled up the immense potential and goodwill of Sudanese citizens.
A popular protest movement demanding better government and living standards saw Al Bashir step down in April 2019, heralding a turnaround in Sudan's fortunes. Since then, the country, which is governed by a joint civilian and military executive, has taken steps to end its isolation. These include paying compensation to the victims of terrorist attacks carried out by Al Qaeda, an organisation Al Bashir's government supported. Now removed from the US State Department's list and free from the sanctions it entails, Khartoum can start looking to the future.
Sudan's promising progress demonstrates the benefits open to countries when they re-enter the international fold
Sudan's transition to stability will not be immediate. There have been a series of clashes between security forces and protesters, and the economy continues to struggle. However, recent history shows that a complete retreat of security forces in the aftermath of popular protests can have even more serious consequences. And despite tragic moments, the country's revolution has been more stable than in other parts of the region, including Syria and Libya.
Khartoum's stability matters in both Africa and the Middle East. It shares large and, in some places, porous borders with Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia. Tensions among these countries have flared this year due to a new civil war in Ethiopia, as well as Addis Ababa's plans for the Renaissance Dam on the Nile.
Sudan's burgeoning relationship with states like the US and Israel will change its position in the diplomatic and security landscape of the region, but the country needs economic relationships, too. The vulnerability of its economy – which has been affected this year by locust plagues, the pandemic and pre-existing issues like widespread poverty – leaves the country open to more challenges, including high unemployment, protests and internal discontent. This is a real prospect, given the International Monetary Fund's prediction that Sudan's GDP will shrink by 8.5 per cent this year. The UAE announced a $1.5 billion grant to support the country in 2019, a critical lifeline at a critical time.
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In the long term, however, the country will need to be able to support itself. The removal of US sanctions allows Sudanese people to build a private sector and engage with international markets on its own terms. A banking system can begin to emerge. A September report from the UN Development Programme found that roughly $3bn in remittances enter the country through unofficial means. If these were re-routed through a responsible banking sector, the resulting tax revenues would be significant.
Sudan's early, but promising, progress demonstrates the myriad benefits open to countries when they re-enter the international fold. If managed correctly, Sudan's transition to an open nation can stand out as an alternative for the pariahs that remain sponsors of extremism. And more importantly, it can forge a path forward for the people of a country that has much to offer the world.
Health Valley
Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned
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
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
The biog
Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.
His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.
“If you have the ambition and dream of something, follow that dream, be positive, determined and set goals.
"Nothing and no-one can stop you from succeeding with the right work application, and a little bit of luck along the way.”
Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.
He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
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Second Test
In Dubai
Pakistan 418-5 (declared)
New Zealand 90 and 131-2 (follow on)
Day 3: New Zealand trail by 197 runs with 8 wickets remaining
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
