6 Months: Is It Enough For Life to Return to Khartoum?

20/07/2025 18:17

President of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan during his arrival at Khartoum Airport - Armed Forces Page

Amsterdam 

July 20, 2025 

Radio Dabanga

The presidential plane carrying the head of the Sovereign Council and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, landed on Saturday at the runway of Khartoum International Airport. The landing marks the first landing of a civilian aircraft since the war began, ushering in a new phase of efforts to rebuild Sudan's conflict-ridden capital.

Threats and government efforts

In parallel, the Higher Committee for Preparing the Environment for the Return of Citizens held a joint meeting with the Khartoum State Government. This committee, chaired by Sovereign Council member Ibrahim Jaber and comprising Prime Minister Dr. Kamel Idris and Sovereignty Council member Dr. Salma Abdul-Jabbar, aims to develop a roadmap for the return of life.

The recent formation of the committee was widely criticized as an outright encroachment by the Sovereign Council on the powers of the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Kamel Idris, promised to rehabilitate the city of Khartoum within six months, which was met with objections by engineers about the short period, especially after he was directed to complete the maintenance of the Halfaya and Shambat bridges within only three months. The governor of Khartoum, Ahmed Osman Hamza, pointed out that the biggest threats are informal housing and foreign presence, in addition to the main challenge of rehabilitating electricity infrastructure.

Recently, citizens who returned from the states to the central and southern areas of Khartoum revealed to Radio Dabanga that these neighborhoods have a significantly reduced population with a terrible deterioration of the security situation, the lack of electricity and water services, and fluctuating communications and internet services.

Urgent priorities

The SC has identified its immediate priorities in the water, electricity, health and education sectors. Specific dates were agreed during July and August for the introduction of electricity to water stations and hospitals, the provision of 40,000 seating units and textbooks, the maintenance of 60 schools, and the completion of the transfer of waste and rubble. The representative of the Bank of Sudan pledged to provide the necessary foreign exchange for electricity and water needs, and the meeting called on the private sector to immediately start rebuilding factories and banks.

In terms of services, the Khartoum State Water Authority has started announcing the arrival of water from the Muqrin plant to new areas in Omdurman, such as Hamad Al-Nil, Doha, Pant West and Abu Saad squares, which is a positive step towards reducing the burden on the residents.

Security challenges and the return of citizens

Despite promises of stability, security challenges remain. Masked gunmen attacked the Aman parking lot in the Arab quarter of Omdurman, looting money and property. The joint force of the armed movements revealed the repeated incidents of impersonation, and the arrest of two people involved in terrorizing and robbing citizens, stressing its determination to protect the citizen and ensure his security.

Meanwhile, the return of citizens to the capital began, as the Khartoum state government received 168 families who returned from Kassala state with the support of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, reflecting the beginning of a gradual return of displaced families.

Is 6 months enough?

The landing of the presidential plane, the government's announcement of ambitious time plans, the visits of officials, and the start of the return of some services are all positive signs. However, the scale of the destruction inflicted on Khartoum, the ongoing security challenges, and the magnitude of the needs in key infrastructure sectors raise questions about the reality of achieving a full "return to life" in just six months. The promise to turn Khartoum "better than it was" requires massive efforts, massive funding, and sustainable security stability, factors that cannot be easily achieved in a short period of time. It remains to be hoped that these efforts will continue and overcome the challenges so that Khartoum will return to the beating heart of Sudan.