The Sudan protests, originally fuelled by economic hardship, switched from financial grievance to demands for sweeping political change.
19 April, 2019: Months of Sudan protests calling for freedom and change have led to the military removing the country’s long time ruler of 30 years, President al-Bashir.
The mass civilian protests were originally fuelled by economic hardship. However, they switched from financial grievance to demands for sweeping political change.
In recent years, a series of economic shocks has weakened newly independent Sudan. Food and fuel price hikes, as well as high inflation, are continuous.
The Darfur conflict that wracked western Sudan also left fragility, more than a million displaced, and an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for al-Bashir.
Sudan is now in a state of flux, with the initial transitional leader General Ouf stepping down within a day, and replaced by Lieutenant General al-Burhan. Reports allege that al-Bashir has been moved from the protected presidential residence to prison.
Protesters are keeping up demands, pushing for the military council to hand over power so that civilians may lead Sudan’s transition, in what some have labelled a late bloom in the Arab Spring.
Global rank: 153 out of 163 countries, on the Global Peace Index
Regional rank: 16 out of 20 MENA countries, on the Global Peace Index
Positive Peace: 152 out of 163 countries, on the Positive Peace Index
Terrorism: Ranks 18 out of 163 countries, Global Terrorism Index
*Data sourced from the 2018 Global Peace Index and the 2017 Global Terrorism Index by the Institute for Economics and Peace
