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Russia deepening ties with Sudan, sets sights on establishing naval base

Russia’s proximal closeness with Sudan has concealed the Russian theft of Sudan’s gold

Russia has set its sights on Port Sudan on the Red Sea “as a key naval hub” for itself, Al-Monitor reported on Friday.

Russia has been deepening ties with Sudan, which became isolated internationally after Sudanese Army General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan took power in a military coup on Oct. 25, 2021.

The United States, the European Union and the World Bank consequently stopped all financial aid to Sudan, which has been described as a failed state. It is rife for exploitation by international actors such as Russia, which reportedly has smuggled out of Sudan billions of dollars in gold.

An associate professor of public policy at the American University in Cairo, Hamed El Tijani Ali, said in December, “Sudan has become a failed state and one of the most corrupt states of the world.”

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According to Al-Monitor, “With the exception of the Syrian Port of Tartous, the only real foreign maritime facility where Russia really intended to have a serious presence was Port Sudan.”

“The relevant agreements had been reached under Omar al-Bashir,” the report said. “However, in April 2021, the Sovereign Council of Sudan suspended the agreement with Russia to create a logistics center. This happened at a time when the Russian military had already started to deliver military equipment there.”

Facing increasing isolation after the military coup in October, Sudan is apparently ready to welcome a Russian naval base in the country.