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Sudan Fears Major Surge in COVID-19 Cases

A Sudanese man wearing a face mask as a protection against the coronavirus walks in the center of the capital Khartoum, March 15, 2020. (DPA)
A Sudanese man wearing a face mask as a protection against the coronavirus walks in the center of the capital Khartoum, March 15, 2020. (DPA)
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Sudan Fears Major Surge in COVID-19 Cases

A Sudanese man wearing a face mask as a protection against the coronavirus walks in the center of the capital Khartoum, March 15, 2020. (DPA)
A Sudanese man wearing a face mask as a protection against the coronavirus walks in the center of the capital Khartoum, March 15, 2020. (DPA)

Sudan announced 56 COVID-19 deaths in its first report after it entered the second virus wave, raising death toll in the country to 1,175 coronavirus since the epidemic began, according to the World Health Organization.

It also reported 15,047 coronavirus cases and 9,600 recoveries.

However, several press reports cast doubt over the official announced figures and said the actual number of infections is higher.

Also, the Ministry of Finance announced that acting Finance Minister Heba Mohamed has been infected and be quarantined at home.

Last week, Sudanese Minister of Health Osama Abdelrahim contracted COVID-19 along with two directors in his ministry.

Moreover, two of the Sudanese prime minister's close associates and the president of the central bank tested positive for the virus.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's senior advisor, Al-Sheikh Khedr, and his office manager, Ali Bakheet, have tested positive as well. Notably, the latter has recovered.

Sudan’s National Umma Party announced that its leader Sadiq al-Mahdi tested positive for the virus and is receiving treatment along with 21 of his family members and party leaders.

The Sudanese Ministry of Health warned of the sharp rise in infections during the second wave of the pandemic. It stressed the importance of wearing face masks and abiding by social distancing, in addition to sterilizing and washing hands.

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Arab World

Arab, International Momentum to Support Lebanon Kicks Off with Macron’s Visit

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace (Reuters)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace (Reuters)
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Arab, International Momentum to Support Lebanon Kicks Off with Macron’s Visit

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace (Reuters)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the Presidential Palace (Reuters)

The election of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and the designation of Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam to form the first government of the new presidential term have drawn unprecedented Arab and international attention. This growing interest is reflected in a series of high-level visits, starting with French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Beirut on Friday.
While Spanish Foreign Minister and EU High Representative Josep Borrell visited Lebanese officials on Wednesday, coinciding with similar meetings held by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to arrive in Beirut on Saturday. Additionally, Arab and international officials are set to visit the Lebanese capital starting next week.
In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, former Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Antoine Chedid stated that Lebanon “is of great importance to the region and the world, and the changes happening in the country are part of broader regional transformations.”
“International interest in Lebanon didn’t begin today. It became evident during the recent Israeli war, when the United States, Saudi Arabia, and France played pivotal roles in achieving a ceasefire,” he remarked.
Chedid further noted that Macron’s visit will mark the start of a series of trips by international and Arab leaders expressing their firm support for Lebanon’s state institutions, including its president, government, army, and constitutional bodies.
“We are witnessing an unprecedented phase of international support for Lebanon’s presidency and state institutions,” he said. “What matters now is for Lebanon to embrace this support positively.”
Former minister Rashid Derbas highlighted that international attention to Lebanon “clearly indicates that the country has moved past its state of unrest and security disruptions and is no longer a platform for undermining regional stability.”
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Derbas said: “Macron’s visit, followed by the arrival of Arab and global leaders, restores confidence among Lebanese citizens. Electing a president and forming a government has reignited hope.”
He added: “This renewed openness paves the way for assisting Lebanon in investing in stability, development, and conflict resolution, steering the country away from chaos and disorder.”
Derbas stressed that certain factions, “particularly the Shiite duo, have failed to recognize regional changes and shifting power dynamics, clinging instead to rhetoric that clouds their judgment.”
He criticized their rejection of past opportunities, stating: “When the Shiite duo had strong leverage in choosing the president and forming the government, they dismissed all proposals, squandering opportunities until external forces imposed decisions on them.”
Derbas expressed hope for an end to the cycle of missed opportunities and constitutional violations, which he said have “isolated Lebanon from its allies under the pretext of sovereignty, while maintaining a rhetoric about liberating Palestine and weakening Israel.”
The decision by the Shiite duo (Amal Movement and Hezbollah) to boycott non-binding consultations has cast a shadow over the atmosphere as international and Arab officials prepare to visit Lebanon. Political analyst Toufic Hindi warned that the duo’s choice to boycott consultations “sends a discouraging message and does not align with the will of the Lebanese people or the intentions of Lebanon’s Arab and international allies.”
Hindi praised Aoun’s inaugural speech, describing it as “a source of hope for the Lebanese people and a signal of reassurance for the international community.” Similarly, he commended Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam for outlining a clear framework for state-building during his speech at the presidential palace.