World Bank halts Sudan operations in response to coup

The World Bank is halting operations to Sudan in response to the military coup that occurred Monday.

World Bank Group President David Malpass issued a statement Wednesday saying operations were halted Monday after Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s military, dissolved the transitional civilian-military government.

“The World Bank Group paused disbursements in all of its operations in Sudan on Monday and it has stopped processing any new operations as we closely monitor and assess the situation,” Malpass said in the statement.

“We hope that peace and the integrity of the transition process will be restored, so that Sudan can restart its path of economic development and can take its rightful place in the international financial community,” he added.

Sudan was finally able to completely reengage with the World Bank back in March and secured $2 billion in financing after the country overthrew autocrat Omar al-Bashir back in 2019, Reuters reported.

Malpass said he met with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was ousted in the coup, and Sudan’s top general, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who led the putsch, during a recent trip to Khartoum before the turmoil. 

“I heard a clear commitment of all parties to work together toward a more prosperous future for the Sudanese people following 30 years of authoritarian rule and disengagement from the international community,” he said. 

Hamdok and other leaders in the civilian government were detained after the military coup. Hamdok has since been released, but others are still detained for allegedly provoking a rebellion against the military.

Pro-democracy protests have erupted throughout the country with doctors, pilots and others standing against the military coup.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Hamdok following his release. 

“The Secretary emphasized U.S. support for the civilian-led transition to democracy and for a return to the principles of Sudan’s transitional framework, as laid out in the 2019 Constitutional Declaration and the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement,” said State Department spokesperson Ned Price.