Russia has secured permission from Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to build a naval support facility on the Red Sea coast, in return for which Russia will provide the Sudanese military with weapons and ammunition.
Initial talks concerning the establishment of the Russian naval base in Port Sudan began in 2019 but were halted due to successive coups in Sudan.
The conflict that erupted in April 2023 between Sudanese government forces and the independent Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by warlord Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has opened new opportunities for Russia.
Moscow proposed military aid to Sudan in exchange for authorization to construct the maritime support center.
In an interview with Alhadath TV on May 25, General Yasir al-Atta confirmed Russia’s proposal.
“We agreed to it but suggested expanding cooperation to include economic projects such as agricultural ventures, mining partnerships, and port development. Russia accepted this broader scope,” he stated, emphasizing that “there is nothing wrong with that.”
He added that Sudan is open to similar agreements with other countries, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
Over the weekend, Sudan’s ambassador to Russia, Mohamed Siraj, confirmed the commencement of detailed talks on the agreement.
For Russia, the naval base in Sudan offers strategic access to neighboring countries like the Central African Republic, Chad, and further into the Sahel region.
The National Congress Party of Sudan, which ruled until recently, criticized the move to strengthen military ties with Russia, arguing that “the junta lacks legitimacy and thus has no authority to make such agreements affecting Sudan.”
The party warned that the base threatens Sudan’s sovereignty, contradicts a balanced foreign policy, and risks involving the country in international conflicts.
According to the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian support for the Sudanese military could undermine upcoming U.S.-backed peace talks.
Sudan has been in political turmoil since a military coup in October 2021 derailed its transition to democracy. The United Nations reports that the civil war, which began in April last year, has claimed over 15,000 lives and displaced more than 8 million people.
The conflict that erupted in April 2023 between Sudanese government forces and the independent Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by warlord Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has opened new opportunities for Russia.
Moscow proposed military aid to Sudan in exchange for authorization to construct the maritime support center.
In an interview with Alhadath TV on May 25, General Yasir al-Atta confirmed Russia’s proposal.
“We agreed to it but suggested expanding cooperation to include economic projects such as agricultural ventures, mining partnerships, and port development. Russia accepted this broader scope,” he stated, emphasizing that “there is nothing wrong with that.”
He added that Sudan is open to similar agreements with other countries, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
Over the weekend, Sudan’s ambassador to Russia, Mohamed Siraj, confirmed the commencement of detailed talks on the agreement.
For Russia, the naval base in Sudan offers strategic access to neighboring countries like the Central African Republic, Chad, and further into the Sahel region.
The National Congress Party of Sudan, which ruled until recently, criticized the move to strengthen military ties with Russia, arguing that “the junta lacks legitimacy and thus has no authority to make such agreements affecting Sudan.”
The party warned that the base threatens Sudan’s sovereignty, contradicts a balanced foreign policy, and risks involving the country in international conflicts.
According to the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian support for the Sudanese military could undermine upcoming U.S.-backed peace talks.
Sudan has been in political turmoil since a military coup in October 2021 derailed its transition to democracy. The United Nations reports that the civil war, which began in April last year, has claimed over 15,000 lives and displaced more than 8 million people.
Source: TVP World, PAP
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