Anti-democratic Transition Actions in Sudan Put U.S. Support at Risk: Feltman

September 29 2021 (KHARTOUM) - U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman on Wednesday warned that actions against the civilian-led government in Sudan will put Washington support at risk.

In a meeting with Prime Minsiter Abdallah Hamdok attended by Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi and Political Adviser Yasir Arman, the visiting envoy condemned the 21 September failed coup attempt and his country support for the civilian-led transitional government.

The visiting diplomat underscored that such attempts might lead "the Congress to stop supporting Sudan," said Hamdok office in a statement issued after the meeting.

"It is important for the two parties to realize that their cooperation is crucial for a smooth transition and for Sudan to maintain its place within the international system, which reached after hard efforts," said Feltman according to the statement.

In December 2020, the U.S. Congress passed a bill supporting the democratic transition in Sudan and tightening oversight of the Sudanese security and intelligence forces.

The "Sudan Democratic Transition, Accountability, and Fiscal Transparency Act of 2020" includes an assessment of the security sector reforms which should lead to militias’ merger in the regular army and strengthening civilian control of the military sector.

It also expresses the lawmakers’ substantial support for providing aid to facilitate the political transition in Khartoum. This bill has been called the Sudan Democratic Transition, Accountability and Fiscal Transparency Act of 2020, and it enjoys broad support from both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Accordingly, it was included in the Defense Financing bill that Congress passed with a great bipartisan consensus. The draft law requires the State Department to submit a report on its strategy, including the goals of the United States for a peaceful political transition in Sudan, and the plan it will adopt to achieve these goals.

On 24 September, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan spoke by phone with Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok to express Biden Administration’s commitment to supporting the civilian-led transition to democracy in Sudan.

Also, Sullivan told Hamdok that President Biden looks forward to meeting him in the near future.

Sudan on Tuesday received 10,000 metric tons of wheat provided by the United States as part of the Abraham Accords.

In a statement on Wednesday, the U.S. embassy said this shipment is part of the fourth delivery in what will be 300,000 metric tons total valued at $115M USD.

Another U.S. delegation led by Bryan David Hunt Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Africa and the Sudans is also visiting Khartoum to discuss the "need to resolve economic, governance, and security challenges, including forming a transitional legislative council".

Hunt on Wednesday met with several members of the Sovereign Council including Siddiq Tawer, Mohamed al-Faki; Hadi Idriss, Shams al-Din Kabbashi and Mohamed Hassan Emtaishi.

In a short statement issued on Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum said the diplomat met with Minister of Federal Government Buthaina Dinar to discuss holding a governance conference as provided in the Juba peace agreement.

(ST)