Sudan PM says military’s vast business holdings ‘unacceptable’

KHARTOUM: Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has criticised the security sector’s vast business holdings as “unacceptable”, at a time of tension within the civilian-military administration.

The transitional government is ruling Sudan following last year’s ouster of strongman Omar al-Bashir by the army, amid youth-led pro-democracy mass protests.

Hamdok, an economist, was speaking on Monday after the United States took Sudan off its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation that dates to a time when Bashir hosted Islamist militants. The premier criticised the fact that Sudan’s powerful military and security sector controls vast business interest in areas ranging from mining to agriculture.

“Every army in the world invests in defence companies,” he said.

“But it is unacceptable for the military and/or security services to do so in productive sectors, and thus compete with the private sector.”