Sudan has made yet another historic step forward in the past few days. On Saturday, the government approved a draft law to criminilise female genital mutilation and on Monday, Khartoum officially appointed its first ambassador to the United States in a quarter of a century. Sudan’s choice is Noureddine Sati, a well-known diplomat. His appointment comes after an ongoing strengthening of ties with Washington, culminating in the decision by both countries in December to exchange ambassadors. The US is yet to nominate its own chief diplomat in Khartoum.
American relations with Sudan are warming after decades of tensions under the rule of former dictator Omar Al Bashir. In 1993, Sudan was added to the US government’s list of state sponsors of terrorism as a result of Al Bashir’s support for extremist militant groups.
Al Bashir’s regime had gone so far as providing a safe harbour for Al Qaeda’s late leader Osama Bin Laden. The designation made it impossible for Khartoum to apply for much-needed financial assistance from international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund or the World bank. The terror listing also came with a host of economic sanctions, which were strengthened in 2006 after Al Bashir and his allies led an ethnic cleansing campaign in Sudan’s Darfur region.
In addition to international sanctions, incompetent governance and widespread corruption took a toll on the formerly oil-rich country’s economy. Under Al Bashir, Sudan was largely a one-man regime where every aspect of life, including the economy, was monopolised by the former leader and his entourage. This left no room for an independent banking sector to flourish or for ordinary Sudanese businesses and entrepreneurs to succeed. According to a report published by The Sentry, a watchdog for financial wrongdoing and war crimes in Africa, Al Bashir’s adopted son ran a complex scheme that allowed him to fund his own business operations using bank loans intended for the central government. The scam left Khartoum with crippling debt.
Sudan’s economic woes led to Al Bashir’s toppling last April. In December 2018, protests erupted in the capital against a sudden hike in the price of bread, fuel and other basic necessities, as well as a corresponding deterioration in living conditions. The protests quickly turned into a full-scale uprising.
In addition to international sanctions, incompetent governance and corruption took a toll on the economy
Today, Khartoum is working towards finding solutions to these pressing issues. Weeding out corruption and preventing pro-Al Bashir networks from reviving their grip on the economy are pivotal steps to building a better future for Sudan. As is opening up the country to the rest of the world, including the restoration of diplomatic ties with the US.
In the meantime, Sudan is in need of financial and humanitarian assistance, especially in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Gulf countries have been major supporters of Khartoum’s political and economic transition, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE alone pledging $3 billion in aid to the country.
Since Omar Al Bashir’s fall from power one year ago, Sudan has become a beacon for good governance and opportunity. After three decades of ruthless dictatorship, Khartoum cannot turn the page on its dark past overnight, but with its recent efforts the nation may be set to rise from its ashes and inspire the world.
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
57%20Seconds
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Fight card
Preliminaries:
Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)
Main card:
Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)
Title card:
Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)
Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)
Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
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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
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Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Match info
Manchester United 4
(Pogba 5', 33', Rashford 45', Lukaku 72')
Bournemouth 1
(Ake 45 2')
Red card: Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
