Following Abdalla Hamdok’s resignation as prime minister, the US has urged Sudanese officials to maintain civilian government and halt violence against demonstrators, further complicating the transition to elections.
“Sudanese leaders should set aside differences, find consensus, and ensure continued civilian rule,” the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs stated in a tweet following PM Hamdok’s resignation.
Hamdok, a noted economist and former UN official, had served as Prime Minister in a military-civilian power-sharing agreement that followed the removal of previous President Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
In a coup in October, the military dismissed his administration, but he returned a month later under a pact that charged him with creating a technocratic government ahead of elections in 2023.
After failing to reach an agreement to move the transition ahead, Hamdok announced his resignation on Sunday. He urged communication in order to secure a new transition deal.
On social media in Sudan, reactions were mixed, with some mourning the death of a leader who was praised for his wisdom. Others, still enraged by Hamdok’s reappearance after the coup, declared their determination to abolish military authority.
Jibril Ibrahim, a former rebel commander who served as Hamdok’s finance minister but showed sympathy for the military before to the coup, described his resignation as “regrettable.”
“To navigate safely through these turbulent times, our nation needs political compromise now more than ever.” There is enough space for everyone.”
Hamdok’s resignation occurred just hours after the latest round of anti-military protests. According to doctors affiliated with the protest movement, at least 57 individuals have been murdered as security forces have attempted to limit or disperse rallies since the October 25 coup. On Tuesday, there will be further protests.
With Western support, Hamdok had been a vital partner for the international community as Sudan tried to emerge from decades of isolation and sanctions imposed by Bashir, as well as to address an economic catastrophe.
Any new appointees, according to the US State Department, should adhere to the power-sharing agreement reached in 2019.
“To meet the people’s goals of freedom, peace, and justice, Sudan’s next prime minister and cabinet should be appointed in accordance with the constitutional declaration,” it stated. “Violence against demonstrators must stop.”