War Leaves 90% of Sudanese Journalists Unemployed

Sudanese journalists are pictured at the syndicate headquarters before the war. (File photo)
Sudanese journalists are pictured at the syndicate headquarters before the war. (File photo)
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War Leaves 90% of Sudanese Journalists Unemployed

Sudanese journalists are pictured at the syndicate headquarters before the war. (File photo)
Sudanese journalists are pictured at the syndicate headquarters before the war. (File photo)

Sudanese journalist Ali Farsab finds himself perched on Red Sea shores, immersed in a painful reflection on the nation’s grim circumstances.

Military conflict in Sudan, now in its ninth month, has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians without any of the warring parties securing a decisive victory.

Shifting to the stark reality encountered by reporters amidst the chaos of war, Farsab said: “Conflict has created a divide between journalists and their pens and papers.”

“Since the initial gunshot in mid-April, many have lost their jobs and remain unemployed,” added Farsab.

“Journalists are grappling with harsh conditions in the aftermath of the conflict,” he solemnly told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“A considerable number have sought refuge outside the country via air, sea, and land routes. Meanwhile, those who remain face substantial risks, dwelling just moments away from the specter of death,” he added.

According to Abdelmoniem Abu Idrees, the head of the journalists' syndicate, 90% of journalists, both male and female, have lost their jobs since the onset of the war.

Some have resorted to leaving the country and pursuing alternative careers to meet their familial responsibilities, Abu Idrees told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He stressed that union members are facing challenging economic circumstances due to a lack of job opportunities.

The overall conditions for Sudanese journalists were not favorable even before the war.

Approximately 250 of them had already lost their jobs due to economic challenges following the October 25, 2021, coup, leading to the closure of several media institutions and workforce layoffs in the remaining ones.

However, the situation became even more dire amid the war.

All media institutions in conflict zones, including government-owned television and radio, ceased operations as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of their headquarters.

They later resumed broadcasting from outside the capital Khartoum.

The official news agency, SUNA, also had to temporarily suspend operations for about four months before resuming broadcasts outside Khartoum.

Daily newspapers, correspondent offices, printing presses, and distribution companies, all located in conflict areas, came to a standstill.

According to Abu Idrees, 90% of media institutions lost their infrastructure and had their equipment looted, impacting the shape of journalistic coverage during the war.

Moreover, Abu Idrees warned that this could potentially lead to a prolonged crisis after the war, as journalists face unemployment and media outlets grapple with the loss of their workforce.

Last week, the RSF reportedly repurposed the buildings of the national radio and television into detention centers.

Additionally, some broadcasting equipment and devices were observed being offered for sale in the markets of Omdurman.

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate said this “irresponsible behavior” poses a threat to the nation's visual and audio archives, risking their destruction, ruin, and permanent loss.



Where Do Trade Talks Stand in the Rush to Avert Higher US Tariffs?

FILE PHOTO: A container is loaded onto a cargo ship while docked at Hai Phong port, after US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for many countries, in Hai Phong, Vietnam, April 16, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A container is loaded onto a cargo ship while docked at Hai Phong port, after US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for many countries, in Hai Phong, Vietnam, April 16, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo/File Photo
TT
20

Where Do Trade Talks Stand in the Rush to Avert Higher US Tariffs?

FILE PHOTO: A container is loaded onto a cargo ship while docked at Hai Phong port, after US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for many countries, in Hai Phong, Vietnam, April 16, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A container is loaded onto a cargo ship while docked at Hai Phong port, after US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for many countries, in Hai Phong, Vietnam, April 16, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo/File Photo

As a Wednesday deadline approaches for steeper US tariffs to hit dozens of economies ranging from the EU to India, trade negotiations with President Donald Trump's administration are coming down to the wire.

The levies taking effect July 9 were announced in April, with the White House citing a lack of "reciprocity" in trade relations. But they were swiftly halted, allowing room for talks.

Days before their reimposition, where do things stand?

EU: 'Ready' for deal

The European Union said it is "ready for a deal" with Washington, with the bloc's trade chief meeting his US counterparts Thursday.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was targeting an "agreement in principle" when it came to the July 9 cutoff, AFP reported.

With no deal, the US tariff on EU goods doubles from the "baseline" of 10 percent to 20 percent -- with Trump previously threatening a 50 percent level.

Vietnam: A pact with uncertainties

Washington and Hanoi unveiled a trade pact Wednesday with much fanfare and few details, but it allowed Vietnam to avoid Trump's initial 46 percent tariff.

Under the agreement, Vietnamese goods face a minimum 20 percent tariff while products made elsewhere face a 40 percent levy -- a clause to restrict "transshipping" by Chinese groups.

But there remain questions on how the higher levy would apply to products using foreign parts.

There is also a risk that Beijing will adopt retaliatory measures, analysts warned.

Japan: Rice, autos at stake

Despite being a close US ally and major source of foreign investment, Japan might not escape Trump's tariff hike.

Tokyo's trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa has made numerous trips to Washington through the end of June.

But Trump recently criticized what he described as Japan's reluctance to open up further to US rice and auto exports.

"I'm not sure we're going to make a deal," Trump said, adding that the country could pay a tariff of "30 percent, 35 percent, or whatever the number is that we determine."

India: A good position

Indian manufacturers and exporters want to believe they can avoid a 26 percent tariff.

Negotiations between both countries have been going well for weeks, and Trump himself suggested at the end of June that a "very big" agreement was imminent.

Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations, said the feedback he received "suggests positive developments." But he maintained that the situation was fluid.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has stressed that agriculture and dairy products remain "very big red lines."

South Korea: Muted optimism

Seoul, which is already reeling from US tariffs on steel and autos, wants to avert a sweeping 25 percent levy on its other exports.

Cooperation in shipbuilding could be a bargaining chip, but "at this stage, both sides still haven't clearly defined what exactly they want," said new President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday.

"I can't say with confidence that we'll be able to wrap everything up by July 8," he added.

Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan in the wings

Other Asian economies including Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, which faces a 49 percent tariff, wait with bated breath.

Indonesia has indicated willingness to boost energy, agriculture and merchandise imports from the United States. Bangladesh meanwhile is proposing to buy Boeing planes and step up imports of US agriculture products.

Taiwan, for whom Washington is a vital security partner, faces a 32 percent duty without a pact.

Although both sides have faced bumps along the way, Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said "negotiators from both sides are working diligently" to find a path forward.

Switzerland: Hope for delay

Switzerland's government said Washington has acknowledged it was acting in good faith, and assumes its tariff level will remain at 10 percent on July 9 while negotiations continue.

But without a decision by the president as of the end of June, Switzerland did not rule out that levies could still rise to a promised 31 percent.