SUDAN-BASHIR PLANS Sudan's Bashir starts new term with promises of economic revival and interest in dialogue with the West

Record ID: 149891

  • Title: SUDAN-BASHIR PLANS Sudan's Bashir starts new term with promises of economic revival and interest in dialogue with the West
  • Date: 3rd June 2015
  • Summary: KHARTOUM, SUDAN (JUNE 2, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF BASHIR IN PARLIAMENT AFTER SWEARING IN
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Sudan
  • Country: Sudan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5EHXJ9YW1YAYWT0YLHQL19Y3A
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Celebrating late on Tuesday (June 2) after being sworn in for anther term in office, President Omar Hassan Al Bashir reiterated that Sudan was starting "a new phase" and promised economic prosperity.
    He was speaking to thousands of cheering supporters from a stage in central Khartoum's Green Square as he danced and waved his signature cane in the air.
    The new presidential term extends his quarter century in power.
    Bashir, 71, also appealed for national unity as he grapples with rebellions and dwindling oil revenues following South Sudan's 2011 secession.
    Bashir campaigned on issues such as improving access to water and farmland that most affect the nearly half of Sudan's population of 37 million people in poverty.
    He won 94 percent of the vote in a national election in April, the first since Sudan saw its south secede in 2011, but it was boycotted by most of the opposition. His ruling National Congress Party won 323 of 426 parliamentary seats.
    "I pledge to work together with all the Sudanese people to bring the Sudanese economy out from its crisis and to go ahead in achieving dignified life for every Sudanese. The upcoming stage will be the improvement of services. Yes, there is improvement in health, education and services horizontally and vertically but the upcoming stage will be for quality services for the people all over the country," he said.
    But Sudan has long laboured under a raft of U.N. and bilateral sanctions, including from the United States and political analysts are sceptical of Bashir's call for talks with the West.
    Hamid Omer Hawi is an associate professor at the University of Bahri in Khartoum.
    "I think that it is a good opportunity to review the government and its policies for the future. However, the message and signal of Bashir's address, we feel is calling for more patience (from the people) in daily living. All the issues in Sudan are linked to peace, war and national accord, which are important dossiers. But the signals are not enough and only the coming days will reveal the government's trend and actual policies in regard to the country's issues," said Hawi.
    The economy has recovered somewhat since a free fall immediately after South Sudan's secession, thanks to lower oil costs and bumper harvests.
    Sudan is prized for its fertile land and easy access to irrigation water from the Nile, has been trying to attract farmland and livestock investment from local and foreign investors like Gulf Arab firms seeking to secure food supplies for their arid oil-producing countries. There is also renewed focus on sugar and gold production.
    However, unemployment and inflation remain high.
    "The concentration on daily living issues is an implicit recognition that Sudan is passing through a hard time; but again this issue could not be dealt with in isolation with the overall issues regarding peace and foreign relations. Unless those issues are resolved we cannot expect any economic boom or improvement in the living conditions of the people.
    Bashir faces charges at the International Criminal Court that he masterminded genocide and other atrocities in his campaign to crush a revolt in the Darfur region. He has denied all the charges.
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