AFRICA DIPLOMATIC

Sudanese police fire with live ammunition at protesters in Khartoum, as they continue to call for President Bashir to resign.

President Omar al-Bashir has promised the New Year will bring improvements, and economic development, amid his speech the security forces undertook operation dispersing anti-government protests with teargas and live ammunition.

“For the first time in history we build [the budget] on development projects … aimed at lessening people’s suffering by maintaining subsidies on certain goods and items, raising salaries, and refraining from tax burdens,” al-Bashir told a congregation in Khartoum.

Al-Bashir  also referred to international cooperation and trade, with an accent on bilateral partnerships with China, Russia and Gulf States as means to reaching prosperity. “We have been engaged in strategic partnerships that aim at raising the efficiency of our economy… [and] providing a solid foundation for our national production base.”

In a speech concluding 63 years of Sudanese independence, al-Bashir said the 2019 budget, approved  the end of December would help the country “brave through the current crisis“, referring to outbreak of  protests over rising price and shortages of basic commodities, which has provoked demonstrations across Sudan over the past two weeks.