IMF Says it's 'Monitoring' Developments in Sudan

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, United States, September 4, 2018. Reuters
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, United States, September 4, 2018. Reuters
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IMF Says it's 'Monitoring' Developments in Sudan

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, United States, September 4, 2018. Reuters
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, United States, September 4, 2018. Reuters

The IMF on Tuesday said it was following events in Sudan after a military coup that saw the prime minister deposed and major donors suspend aid.

"It is premature to comment on the implications of recent events in Sudan, but we are monitoring the developments carefully," a spokeswoman for the Washington-based crisis lender told AFP.

The coup comes just over two years into a delicate power-sharing arrangement between the military and civilians after the army's ouster during enormous street protests in April 2019 against Omar al-Bashir.

The military on Monday seized Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and briefly detained him, however on Tuesday his office said he had been brought home along with his wife.

Sudan had been emerging from decades of stringent US sanctions after Washington removed the country from its state sponsor of terrorism blacklist in December 2020, eliminating a major hurdle to much-needed aid and financial investment.

The World Bank and IMF in June granted Sudan debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, cutting the nation's debt in half to about $28 billion, and the institutions have offered additional help if economic reforms continue.

However, following the coup, the United States, a key backer of the transition, strongly condemned the military's actions and suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in aid.

The European Union late Tuesday threatened "serious consequences" for Sudan's rulers, including to financial support.



Palestinian Prime Minister Says Palestinian Authority Should Run Gaza in Future

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
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Palestinian Prime Minister Says Palestinian Authority Should Run Gaza in Future

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said it “will not be acceptable” for any entity other than the Palestinian Authority to run the Gaza Strip in the future.

Mustafa made the comments on Wednesday as he visited Norway, one of three European countries that formally recognized a Palestinian state in May.

Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007, confining the Palestinian Authority’s limited self-rule to parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The US has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood, which the Israeli government opposes.

“While we’re waiting for the ceasefire, it’s important to stress that it will not be acceptable for any entity to govern Gaza Strip but the legitimate Palestinian leadership and the government of the State of Palestine," Mustafa said.

He added that “any attempt to consolidate the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, or creating transitional entities, will be rejected.”

Mustafa stressed that “we should not leave Gaza to vacuum ... We are the government of Palestine, ready to hold our responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as we did before.”