Sudan’s Hamdok Raises GERD Crisis at UN General Assembly

Sudan’s Premier Abdalla Hamdok during his address to the United Nations General Assembly from the cabinet’s headquarters in Khartoum, on Saturday, September 25, 2021. (EPA)
Sudan’s Premier Abdalla Hamdok during his address to the United Nations General Assembly from the cabinet’s headquarters in Khartoum, on Saturday, September 25, 2021. (EPA)
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Sudan’s Hamdok Raises GERD Crisis at UN General Assembly

Sudan’s Premier Abdalla Hamdok during his address to the United Nations General Assembly from the cabinet’s headquarters in Khartoum, on Saturday, September 25, 2021. (EPA)
Sudan’s Premier Abdalla Hamdok during his address to the United Nations General Assembly from the cabinet’s headquarters in Khartoum, on Saturday, September 25, 2021. (EPA)

Sudan is ready to participate in any peaceful initiative to resolve the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) crisis and bring all parties together to reach an agreement that serves their interests, said Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok before the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday.

The UN Security Council had held two meetings to address the crisis. It met in July after Ethiopia announced that it had started to fill the dam again after talks with Egypt and Sudan had faltered.

Hamdok reiterated his country’s rejection of “all unilateral measures” regarding the dam, stressing the importance of reaching a comprehensive, binding and legal agreement on its filling and operation.

Sudan fears that the GERD will put the operation of its Roseires dam, which is located near the Ethiopian dam, and the lives of millions of Sudanese citizens at “a very high risk” if an agreement regulating its operation and filling is not reached.

“We have suffered during the past weeks from the adverse effects of the first and second unilateral filling, despite the costly preventive measures taken by the Sudanese government,” Hamdok told the Assembly from Khartoum.

Commenting on the transitional process in Sudan, he said that despite the recent progress, the country still needs international support.

He stressed the importance of completing the government’s economic reform plans, which include exempting Sudan from all its debts, obtaining loans and partners fulfilling of their pledges at the Berlin and Paris conferences.

He further called for dropping the procedural restrictions after removing Sudan from the US state sponsors of terrorism (SST) list so that it returns to the international community.

The transitional government continues to implement its policies aimed at achieving democratic transformation and the rule of law. It has also been working to improve the human rights and the economic infrastructure.



Yemen Cabinet Holds Urgent Meeting to Discuss Economic Rescue Plan

Yemeni Cabinet meeting in Aden, Yemen (Saba News Agency)
Yemeni Cabinet meeting in Aden, Yemen (Saba News Agency)
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Yemen Cabinet Holds Urgent Meeting to Discuss Economic Rescue Plan

Yemeni Cabinet meeting in Aden, Yemen (Saba News Agency)
Yemeni Cabinet meeting in Aden, Yemen (Saba News Agency)

The Yemeni government met in the interim capital, Aden, on Thursday, with Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak presiding to review an economic rescue plan focused on government reforms, ending the Houthi coup, and restoring state control.
Yemen’s economy faces a deep crisis, with falling revenues and a halt in oil exports after Houthi attacks on export ports and stalled peace efforts amid increased Houthi activity regionally and at sea.
In Thursday’s meeting, Yemen’s Cabinet discussed urgent economic issues, including currency instability and electricity shortages, and reviewed a draft economic rescue plan aligned with government reforms.
The government aims to finalize the plan, which focuses on restoring state control, ending the Houthi coup, achieving peace, fighting corruption, and improving transparency. The plan also seeks to boost the economy and make better use of foreign aid.
A ministerial committee, led by the finance minister and including other key officials, was formed to refine the plan. The committee will review suggestions and present a revised version in two weeks for further discussion.
State media reported that the Cabinet instructed the ministerial committee to align the rescue plan with the government's reform agenda and economic recovery strategy. The committee will set priorities, review progress, and develop a unified economic document to guide urgent government actions.
Yemen’s Cabinet emphasized the need to realistically assess challenges and tackle them through joint efforts with the Presidential Leadership Council.
The discussion focused on ensuring the rescue plan addresses the economic crisis’s root causes—worsened by Houthi attacks on oil facilities and shipping routes—and on defining the support needed from international donors.
The meeting also reviewed implemented and ongoing policies, noting obstacles and suggesting solutions to overcome them.
Moreover, Yemen’s Cabinet reviewed reports on fuel shortages affecting Aden’s power stations and discussed urgent steps to stabilize electricity and ensure water supplies.
State media said officials stressed the need for emergency fuel and additional supplies to keep services stable.