Sudan’s al-Bashir to Visit Doha on Tuesday

President Omer al-Bashir received by the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha on 16 June 2016 (QNA Photo)

January 21, 2019 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Tuesday would visit Qatar to meet with Emir Tamim bin Hamad, said the Qatar News Agency (QNA) on Monday

Since five weeks, Sudan’s embattled leader has been facing ongoing street protests decrying worsening economic conditions and demanding that he step down.

In a phone conversation last December, Tamim has pledged support to the Sudanese government until it was able to overcome what he described as the “ordeal”.

According to QNA, the Sudanese president will meet the Emir on Wednesday to discuss bilateral relations as well as issues of common concern.

Qatar has been one of the few countries where the government of President al-Bashir enjoys relatively warm relations with. For years the rich Arab Gulf state has hosted peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel groups which eventually resulted in the signing of the DDPD in 2011.

Last year, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt severed ties with Qatar accusing it of supporting Islamist terrorist groups and arch-foe Iran. But Doha vehemently denies the charges.

Sudan is among the Arab states that refused to take part in the ongoing diplomatic crisis and declared its support for the Kuwaiti efforts to settle the rift.

(ST)