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Can the International Community Retrieve Sudan?

On the morning of Monday, October 25th, the Sudanese people woke up to find out that airports are closed and a state of emergency being applied nation-wide. Over that night, Al-Burhan dismissed his civilian co-leaders at the Sovereignty Council, dissolved the government, and arrested senior state officials, including the Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. In a speech, later that day, Al-Burhan justified the forced seizure of power as a “necessary procedure to avoid the eruption of a civil war.” For months, the policy disagreements between the teams of Hamdok and Al-Burhan, within the Sovereignty Council had not stopped. In September, Al-Burhan launched an impulsive coup attempt against Hamdok, but it failed because of international pressure and lack of proper planning. In response to reports about kidnapping Hamdok, Al-Burhan confirmed that the Prime Minister is not detained or kidnaped, but respectfully hosted in his own house “as a guest.” The next day, Hamdok was released from Al-Burhan’s house, thanks to pressures by the United States.
In reaction, the Sudanese people poured into streets, in large numbers, to protest the decisions taken by Al-Burhan and call for the return of the Sovereignty Council, which had been jointly led by civilian and military leaders, since 2019. The majority of the 45 million Sudanese population is youth, passionate about democratic change, but also burdened with a heavy heritage of the political corruption and the economic failures of the state. About ten citizens got killed as military forces fired on angry rallies outside the Ministry of Defense building, on that day. Although security forces, reportedly, arrested all protest organizers, the protests have not stopped up till now.
On the regional level, the Arab League condemned Al-Burhan’s move, without openly labeling it as a “coup d’état.” Turkey and Qatar issued official statements expressing their concern for the turmoil in Sudan and described it as a “coup attempt.” Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have not issued any statement on the issue, up till this moment. Following Omar Al-Bashir’s fall in 2019, Saudi Arabia and UAE promised three billion dollars to support the transitional leadership of Al-Burhan. Five hundred million of which has already been deposited to the Sudanese Central Bank, two years ago. Likewise, Egypt, Sudan’s closest neighbor and ally, has not reacted to the turmoil in neither a negative nor a positive way. That is despite the fact that Egypt previously condemned the failed coup attempt by Al-Burhan, in September. Apparently, Egypt is preferring to remain silent, this time, in order not to push Sudan to side with Ethiopia in the ongoing conflict over the Nile River.
On the global level, the turmoil in Sudan is surprisingly attracting a lot of attention. Sudan’s geographic location makes it a focal point for the trade flow across eastern Africa. Moreover, Sudan’s stability and security is essential to control the growing presence of terrorist organizations in that region. Therefore, the United States and other major international powers, such as the United Kingdom, rushed to condemn the military’s takeover accompanied by applying economic pressures, in hope to force Al-Burhan to loosen his grip and restore the civilian leadership. On the next day of Al-Burhan’s coup, the U.S. Secretary of State, Blinken, announced that the Biden Administration will suspend the aid due to Sudan (700 million dollars), until Al-Burhan reverses his action. Despite that, the U.S. officials have been very careful not to openly label the current events in Sudan as a coup.
In parallel, the World Bank decided to suspend the aid it previously planned to provide to Sudan, until the civilian government is re-installed. Unfortunately, such economic sanctions are going to increase the sufferings of the already impoverished Sudanese people without leveraging any tangible pressure on Al-Burhan. On October 28th, the U.N. Special Representative in Sudan met with Al-Burhan and offered to intervene as a mediator for a political settlement between the military and the civilian leaderships. Yet, logically speaking, why would Al-Burhan need to negotiate with the civilian leadership if he already holds all powers in his hands, right now.
In academic terms, the procedures taken, on Monday, by General Al-Burhan can only be defined as a coup d’état. If it is not a coup against a civil authority, then at least it is a betrayal to the agreement that resulted in the formation of the Sovereign Council and promised the people with a democratic future, which now seems impossible. However, in realistic assessment of the bitter truth, what Al-Burhan has done is merely grabbing the powers that he has been already holding, since the overthrow of Al-Bashir regime in the Spring revolution of 2019.
Those who follow the complex political scene in Sudan, since then, should have guessed that Al-Burhan, and the military that he leads, may not allow a civilian government to rule the country, independent from the military institution. Al-Burhan has been the de facto ruler of Sudan since the ouster of Bashir in 2019, and it seems that he will remain in this powerful position for years to come. In light of this fact, the regional players and the international community need to figure out new methods to deal with the situation in Sudan and control the future damages as possible.

BY: Dalia Ziada
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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