The African Union said on Wednesday that it had suspended Sudan until civilian rule in the country is restored, saying it rejected the military takeover as an “unconstitutional” seizure of power.
The continent-wide bloc said it “strongly condemns the seizure of power” and was suspending Sudan from all AU activities “until the effective restoration of the civilian-led transitional authority”.
Sudanese General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Monday ordered the dissolution of the government.
The AU suspended Sudan in June 2019 after pro-democracy protesters demanding civilian rule were gunned down outside Army headquarters in Khartoum.
The membership was reinstated three months later after PM Abdalla Hamdok announced the appointment of the country’s first Cabinet since the ousting of veteran leader Omar al-Bashir.
It was only last December that Sudan freed itself of U.S.’s state sponsor of terrorism designation, opening the way this year to over $50 billion in debt relief and renewed largesse from the IMF and World Bank.
Published - October 27, 2021 10:25 pm IST