February 11, 2023 – Military leaders who control power in Khartoum approved a deal to establish a logistic base for the Russian navy in Port Sudan, in return; Moscow would provide weapons and equipment to the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF).
On February 9, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with the Head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
Before leaving the Sudanese capital, Lavrov told reporters that the deal, which was agreed upon during the rule of former President Omer al-Bashir, is readily awaiting the approval of the Sudanese parliament, without further details.
In June 2021, Lt Gen Mohamed Osman al-Hussein, Chief of General Staff, stated they need to review the agreement.
Citing Sudanese military sources, the Associated Press on Saturday reported that the Sudanese army has given the green light for the military base after getting the Russian commitment to meet Sudan’s demand including weapons and equipment.
“They cleared all our concerns. The deal has become OK from the military side,” a Sudanese military official to The AP.
The military base on the Red Sea will host 300 troops and four military ships including nuclear-powered ones. The base is crucial for Moscow’s plans to expand its influence in Africa and link landlocked countries where they are present with the Red Sea.
Moscow is accused of seeking to destabilize the Paris-supported government in Africa and offering troops hired by a Russian private security contractor Wagner to protect military regimes that flared in the continent.
Until recently, the focus was shed on the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the deputy head of the Sovereign Council after several reports about his close cooperation with Wagner in Sudan cold mining and in the neighbouring Central African Republic.
However, it appeared that the deal benefits the SAF more than the RSF.
Several countries in the region including Saudi Arabia and Egypt showed some concerns over the deal and sought to dissuade the SAF commander-in-chief from implementing the deal.
Source : Sudan Tribune
