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Straits Times
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Explainer-The two rival governments that could split Sudan
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: A Sudanese man waits next to his luggage, as families displaced by conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) crowd at Cairo's main station to board a free train with a voluntary return coordinated by the Egyptian government to Aswan, where buses will take them back to their homes in Khartoum, in Cairo, Egypt July 28, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo CAIRO/DUBAI - Sudanese paramilitaries are forming a parallel government to the one controlled by the country's army, pushing Sudan further towards de facto division, political analysts say. After more than two years of war that has caused waves of ethnic killings, famine and massive displacement, Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are currently fighting for control of al-Fashir - the army's last foothold in the western Darfur region, an RSF stronghold. A coalition led by the RSF announced the members of a parallel government last week. While it has not yet established institutions or been recognised, analysts say a potential breakaway of its territory could precipitate another split in Sudan, following the 2011 secession of South Sudan. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? Sudan's army and the RSF worked together in 2021 to oust the civilian politicians who took over from President Omar al-Bashir's toppled government two years earlier. But in April 2023, war broke out between them over a push to integrate RSF fighters into the armed forces. The RSF took over swathes of the country, though the army pushed them out of the capital Khartoum and towards the west earlier this year. Throughout the war, the RSF has called the internationally recognised army-led government illegitimate, and has taken steps to create its own, parallel administration. In May, the army installed a prime minister, Kamil Idris, who has in turn begun appointing ministers to a new "Hope Government". Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 'For one last time, let's go home': Tears, laughs as last scheduled Jetstar Asia flight touches down Singapore Over half of job applications by retrenched Jetstar Asia staff led to offers or interviews: CEO Singapore No entry: ICA to bar high-risk, undesirable travellers from boarding S'pore-bound ships, flights Singapore 5 foreign women suspected of trafficking 27kg of cocaine nabbed in Changi Airport Singapore Fallen tree branch damages two Yishun flats, showering one home owner in shattered glass Singapore Man accused of raping woman who hired him to fix lights in her flat claims she made first move Singapore 1 ticket wins $12.8 million Toto jackpot draw Singapore 'Switching careers just as I became a dad was risky, but I had to do it for my family' His cabinet's formation has been hindered by disputes between army leaders and the heads of former rebel groups who have joined the war against the RSF. Some cabinet members also have ties to Bashir's former party, reflecting the army's need for Islamist support. WHAT DOES EACH SIDE CONTROL? From its wartime capital of Port Sudan on the Red Sea, Sudan's army has maintained control of Sudan's northern and eastern states. Earlier this year, it also regained its central states and Khartoum, where it says it will relocate. The RSF quickly seized most of Darfur with the exception of al-Fashir, where fighting continues, causing mass hunger. The paramilitary also allied with the SPLM-N rebel group, which controls swathes of South Kordofan state on the border with South Sudan. The oil-rich West Kordofan and North Kordofan states are also still being fought over. More recently, the RSF has taken control of the northern "border triangle" with Libya and Egypt, expanding the international borders of the territory it controls. HOW DID THE RSF SET UP ITS GOVERNMENT? In February, the RSF formed the "Tasis" coalition with several Sudanese political factions and rebel groups, aiming to build what they said would be a single government for all of Sudan. In May, the coalition signed a constitution establishing a parliament and cabinet. Then in July, the coalition announced the formation of a presidential council led by RSF head Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, with the SPLM-N's Hilu as his deputy. The council also included regional governors and a prime minister, former government official Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR SUDAN? Analysts say the formation of the parallel governments could lead to a Libya-like stalemate or even worse fragmentation as other armed groups claim their own territories and follow the RSF's lead. Both governments could also struggle to secure the international cooperation they need to rebuild Sudan's shattered economy and infrastructure. No states have so far moved to recognise the RSF's parallel government, which the U.N. and African Union have condemned. Militias have also proliferated across RSF territory, helping the paramilitary push forward but also proving hard to control. The seat of the RSF government, Nyala, in southern Darfur, has seen growing crime, including kidnappings, as well as protests by residents and soldiers. It has also been targeted frequently by army air and drone strikes. The army's coalition, including former rebel groups and tribal militias, is similarly fragile. And while the army has international recognition, with support from regional powers such as Egypt, many countries remain hesitant to deal with it because of the 2021 coup and the influence of Islamists. Like Dagalo, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is under U.S. sanctions. REUTERS
Straits Times
29-07-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Displaced Sudanese stream home from Egypt after army retakes Khartoum
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A Sudanese mother reacts next to her luggage as families displaced by conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) crowd at Cairo's main station to board a free train with a voluntary return coordinated by the Egyptian government to Aswan, where buses will take them back to their homes in Khartoum, in Cairo Egypt, July 28, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh CAIRO - Toting large suitcases and bags of belongings, the Sudanese families crowding into Cairo's main railway station hoped to be returning to relative stability after fleeing Sudan's civil war. They are among thousands of displaced Sudanese streaming back home from Egypt into territory retaken by the Sudanese armed forces from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary in Khartoum and its environs since the start of this year. "I miss every corner of Sudan, really. I'm very happy that I'm going back," one of the returnees, Malaz Atef, told Reuters. The families were waiting to board a free train to the southern Egyptian city of Aswan, from where they would take buses to the Sudanese capital Khartoum. A couple of young girls wore hats reading, "Thank you, Egypt" in Arabic. Over 4 million Sudanese fled to neighbouring countries -- including more than 1.5 million to Egypt -- after war broke out between the army and the RSF in April 2023, according to figures from the International Organisation for Migration, or IOM. Since the start of this year, over 190,000 people have crossed the border from Egypt into Sudan, more than five times the number who returned in all of 2024, an IOM report said earlier this month. Sudan's ambassador to Egypt, Emad el-Din Adawy, who visited the station on Monday, said the returns marked "an important stage for reconstruction and bringing back stability." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Grace Fu apologises for Tanjong Katong sinkhole, says road may stay closed for a few more days Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore S'pore can and must meaningfully apply tech like AI in a way that creates jobs for locals: PM Wong Singapore 7, including child and firefighter, taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Sport IOC president Kirsty Coventry a 'huge supporter' of Singapore Singapore ICA inspector obtained bribes in the form of sex acts from 6 foreign men in exchange for his help Singapore Doctor who forged certificates for aesthetic procedures gets 4 months' jail Singapore 12 motorists nabbed for providing illegal private-hire services: LTA Despite the relative calm in the capital, fighting between the RSF and the army is still raging in the central Kordofan region and al-Fashir in Darfur in the west. The war, triggered by a dispute over a transition to civilian rule between the army and the RSF, has displaced over 12 million people and pushed half the population into acute hunger, according to the United Nations. Some Sudanese in Egypt have complained of difficulty finding jobs and discrimination, and Egypt has deported thousands of refugees it says entered illegally. Thousands of others have fled onwards to Libya. The weekly trains from Cairo to help Sudanese to return home voluntarily have been financed by Sudanese businessmen, according to Adawy. The Sudanese who have gone back so far have mostly headed to Khartoum, as well as to Sennar and El Gezira states to the capital's south, according to the IOM. REUTERS
The Star
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Dubai's Emirates signs preliminary deal to add crypto to payments
FILE PHOTO: An Emirates Airlines Airbus A380 is parked at Cairo International Airport, Egypt October 17, 2024. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo DUBAI (Reuters) -Emirates has signed a preliminary deal with that will allow its customers to make payments through the crypto trading platform's payment service, the Gulf carrier's parent company said in a statement on Wednesday. The partnership, which is expected to come into effect next year, is aimed at tapping into "younger, tech-savvy customer segments who prefer digital currencies", Adnan Kazim, Emirates' deputy president and chief commercial officer, said in a statement. The United Arab Emirates has been emerging as a key hub for crypto companies in recent years, with several setting up shop or seeking to expand, and has enabled payments via cryptocurrencies in areas like real estate, school fees and transportation. In Dubai, which set up watchdog VARA in 2022 to regulate the emerging virtual asset sector, one of the city's largest free zones, the DMCC, hosts more than 650 crypto firms. Other airlines have in recent years adopted cryptocurrencies as payment options. In the Gulf, Dubai-listed Air Arabia said in May it would accept UAE dirham-backed stablecoin AE Coin for flight bookings. (Reporting by Federico Maccioni)
The Star
01-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Pyramids claim maiden African Champions League title
Soccer Football - CAF Champions League - Final - Second Leg - Pyramids v Mamelodi Sundowns - 30 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - June 1, 2025 Pyramids' Fiston Mayele in action REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh CAIRO (Reuters) -Egypt's Pyramids claimed a deserved 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa for a 3-2 aggregate success and a first African Champions League title following the second leg of this year's final at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday. After the first leg in Pretoria finished 1-1, Fiston Mayele gave Pyramids the lead on 23 minutes when he profited from a Sundowns defensive error, before Ahmed Samy doubled the advantage on 56 minutes with a header from a free-kick. Sundowns pulled a goal back through Iqraam Rayners with 15 minutes remaining and one more would have given them victory in the tie on the away goals rule, but Pyramids held firm despite heavy pressure from the visitors. Pyramids are the fourth Egyptian side to lift the Champions League trophy after record 12-time winners Al Ahly, Zamalek and Ismaily, while 2016 champions Sundowns head to this month's Club World Cup in the United States on a low note. (Writing by Nick Said; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Egypt Today
18-05-2025
- Business
- Egypt Today
Parliament's Manpower Committee Approves Draft Law on Salary Increases, Bonuses for State Employees
File- An employee counts money at an exchange office in downtown Cairo (Photo credit: Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh) CAIRO – 18 May 2025: The House of Representatives' Manpower Committee, chaired by Representative Adel Abdel Fadil Ayad, approved on Sunday a government-submitted draft law outlining new salary increases and bonuses for state employees. The bill includes provisions for periodic bonuses, special grants, and additional incentives aimed at alleviating the rising cost of living. The committee is preparing its final report on the draft legislation, which will be submitted to the House in the upcoming sessions. The draft law follows presidential directives to launch a new social protection package in response to the country's current economic challenges and inflationary pressures. Key Provisions of the Draft Law Article 1: Employees subject to the Civil Service Law (Law No. 81 of 2016) will receive a periodic bonus equivalent to 10 percent of their basic salary as of June 30, 2025, with a minimum of LE 150 per month. This bonus will be integrated into their basic salary starting July 1, 2025. Article 2: Employees not covered by the Civil Service Law will receive a special bonus of 15 percent of their basic salary as of June 30, 2025 (or on the date of appointment for new hires), also with a minimum of LE 150 per month. This amount will be incorporated into their basic salary from July 1, 2025. The provision excludes public service agencies and public economic entities already offering periodic bonuses of 10percent or more. In such cases, if a bonus is calculated as a percentage of the basic salary, employees will receive a special bonus equal to the difference between the legislated 15 percent and the bonus already provided. This amount will also be added to the basic salary. Article 3: Effective July 1, 2025, an additional fixed monthly incentive of LE 700 will be granted to all eligible employees, whether or not they are subject to the Civil Service Law. The amount will be treated as part of the employee's supplementary or variable wage, depending on employment classification. Article 5: Employees of public sector and public business sector companies will receive a monthly bonus starting July 1, 2025. This bonus will equal the difference between their recurring annual bonus and the special bonus granted to non-Civil Service Law employees under Article 2. The bonus will be disbursed as a lump sum and not included in the basic wage. Furthermore, if an employee's total monthly earnings—including wages, allowances, and fixed or semi-fixed bonuses—fall below LE 7,000 after these increases, their income will be topped up to meet the minimum threshold. The relevant ministers will issue executive regulations to implement this provision. Article 7: The Minister of Finance will issue the necessary executive decisions to enforce the provisions of this law, while other ministers will issue related decisions for Article 5 as applicable. Article 8: The law will come into effect on July 1, 2025. Pension Increases Clarified During the session, committee members inquired about pension increases and why they were not included in the draft law. A representative from the Ministry of Finance, Ali El-Sisi, clarified that pension increases are governed separately under the Social Insurance and Pensions Law, which was amended in previous years. He explained that while pension increases were previously scheduled for April 1, this year's increase will be implemented on July 1, through a presidential decree based on the Social Insurance Law. This law ties the increase to inflation rates, with a cap of 15 percent. Budget Allocations and Salary Floors Finance Ministry officials confirmed that LE 85 billion has been allocated to fund these increases. The minimum monthly salary increase for the lowest-grade employee (Grade 6) will be LE 1,100, with proportionally larger increases for higher grades.
