Sudan’s Bashir to visit Egypt as more demonstrations planned

KHARTOUM — Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir will travel to Cairo for talks with his Egyptian counterpart, state media reported on Saturday, as protesters called for more nationwide demonstrations against his government.

Bashir’s visit to Cairo on Sunday will be his second trip abroad since deadly protests erupted at home on December 19.

On Wednesday, he met Qatar’s ruler, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani on a trip to the Gulf state.

“President Omar Bashir will travel to Cairo on Sunday for a one day visit,” Sudan’s official news agency SUNA reported.

“He will hold bilateral talks with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and also discuss regional issues that concern the two countries.”

Bashir’s visit was also confirmed by Sudan’s ambassdor to Cairo, Mahmoud Abdel Halim.

Protests erupted in Sudan last month after a government decision to triple the price of bread. 

The rallies swiftly mushroomed into nationwide calls for an end to Bashir’s three decades in power, as protesters clashed with security forces. 

Officials say 30 people have died in the violence, while rights groups say more than 40 people have been killed, including medics and children.

The Sudanese group that is leading the protest campaign has called for more rallies over the next few days, including night-time demonstrations on Saturday.

Bashir, who came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989, has remained steadfast in rejecting calls to resign.

He has blamed the deadly violence on “infiltrators” among the protesters.

While the spark for the first protests was the rise of bread prices, anger has been mounting for years over worsening economic hardships and deteriorating living conditions in Sudan.

That ire has now spilt onto the streets as protesters chant their main slogan, calling for “freedom, peace, justice”.

Bashir has blamed the economic woes on the United States.

Washington lifted its trade embargo on Sudan in October 2017 after two decades of bruising economic punishment, but that failed to revive the country’s financial situation.