Abdalla Hamdok
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Abdalla Hamdok Al-Kinani (also
transliterated Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one script to another that involves swapping letters (thus ''trans-'' + '' liter-'') in predictable ways, such as Greek → , Cyrillic → , Greek → the digraph , Armenian → or L ...
''Abdallah'', ''Hamdouk'', '' AlKinani''; ar, عبدالله حمدوك الكناني; born 1 January 1956) is a Sudanese public administrator who served as the 15th
Prime Minister of Sudan This article lists the heads of government of Sudan, from the establishment of the office of Chief Minister in 1952 until the present day. The office of Prime Minister was abolished after the 1989 coup d'état, and reestablished in 2017 when ...
from 2019 to 2021, and again from 2021 to 2022. Prior to his appointment, Hamdok served in numerous national and international administrative positions. From November 2011 to October 2018, he was Deputy Executive Secretary of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA or ECA; french: link=no, Commission économique pour l'Afrique, CEA) was established in 1958 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council to encourage economic cooperation among its ...
(UNECA). UNECA staff described Hamdok as " diplomat, a humble man and a brilliant and disciplined mind". In August 2019, Hamdok was suggested as a likely candidate for Prime Minister of Sudan for the
2019 Sudanese transition to democracy Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number), the natural number following 18 and preceding 20 * one of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (film), a 1987 science fiction film Musi ...
. Following the transfer of power from the Transitional Military Council to the
Sovereignty Council of Sudan The eleven-member Sovereignty Council of Sudan ( ar, مجلس السيادة السوداني) was the collective head of state of Sudan from 20 August 2019, when it was created by the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration, until 25 Octob ...
, the Sovereignty Council appointed Hamdok as Prime Minister during the transitional period. He was sworn in on 21 August 2019. He was kidnapped and moved to an undisclosed location during the
October 2021 Sudanese coup d'état October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the sixth of seven months to have a length of 31 days. The eighth month in the old calendar of Romulus , October retained its name (from Latin and Greek ''ôct ...
. The
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, the
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, and other Western powers have stated that they continued to recognise the Hamdok cabinet as "the constitutional leaders of the transitional government". On 21 November 2021, all political prisoners were freed and Hamdok was reinstated as prime minister as part of an agreement with the military. Hamdok resigned on 2 January 2022 amid continuing protests.


Early life and education

Abdalla Hamdok was born on 1 January 1956 in Al Dibaibat,
South Kordofan South Kordofan ( ar, جنوب كردفان ') is one of the 18 wilayat or states of Sudan. It has an area of 158,355 km² and an estimated population of approximately 1,100,000 people (2000).University of Khartoum The University of Khartoum (U of K) ( ar, جامعة الخرطوم) is a public university located in Khartoum, Sudan. It is the largest and oldest university in Sudan. UofK was founded as Gordon Memorial College in 1902 and established in 195 ...
and a doctorate in economic studies from the
University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The university owns and operates majo ...
.


Early and international career

From 1981 to 1987, Hamdok was a senior official in the Sudanese Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. In the 1990s, Hamdok held senior positions first at Deloitte & Touche and then at the
International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and o ...
in
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and ...
, followed by several years at the
African Development Bank The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) or (BAD) is a multilateral development finance institution headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, since September 2014. The AfDB is a financial provider to African governments and private companies ...
in
Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre ...
. Hamdok was the Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East of the
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is an intergovernmental organization that works to support and strengthen democratic institutions and processes around the world, to develop sustainable, eff ...
from 2003 to 2008. Hamdok worked briefly for the
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA or ECA; french: link=no, Commission économique pour l'Afrique, CEA) was established in 1958 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council to encourage economic cooperation among its ...
(UNECA) in 2001 and 2002 as Director of Regional Integration and Trade and from 2011 to October 2018 was the Deputy Executive Secretary of UNECA. UNECA staff described Hamdok as "a true
Pan-Africanist Pan-Africanism is a worldwide movement that aims to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all Indigenous and diaspora peoples of African ancestry. Based on a common goal dating back to the Atlantic slave trade, the movement exte ...
, a diplomat, a humble man and a brilliant and disciplined mind". In September 2018, Hamdok was named as Minister of Finance under the Omar al-Bashir presidency of Sudan but refused the nomination.


Prime Minister of Sudan

Suggestions were made in June 2019 by a spokesperson of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) and in August 2019 by ''The Sudan Daily'' that Hamdok would be proposed as
Prime Minister of Sudan This article lists the heads of government of Sudan, from the establishment of the office of Chief Minister in 1952 until the present day. The office of Prime Minister was abolished after the 1989 coup d'état, and reestablished in 2017 when ...
by the FFC, which negotiated the
2019 Sudanese transition to democracy Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number), the natural number following 18 and preceding 20 * one of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (film), a 1987 science fiction film Musi ...
with the Transitional Military Council (TMC). The transition procedures were formally defined in the Political Agreement signed on 17 July 2019 by the FFC and TMC and the Draft Constitutional Declaration signed by the FFC and the TMC on 4 August 2019. The
Sovereignty Council of Sudan The eleven-member Sovereignty Council of Sudan ( ar, مجلس السيادة السوداني) was the collective head of state of Sudan from 20 August 2019, when it was created by the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration, until 25 Octob ...
appointed Hamdok to be Prime Minister on 20 August, as required by the Draft Constitutional Declaration. He was subsequently sworn in on 21 August. Under Article 19 of the Draft Constitutional Declaration, as a minister during the transitional period, Hamdok is forbidden (along with other senior transition leaders) from running in the
2022 Sudanese general election General elections are scheduled to be held in Sudan in July 2023. A constitutional convention is expected to be held before the end of the transitional period to draft a permanent constitution that should define the form of government and elector ...
scheduled to end the transitional period. As prime minister, Hamdok selected a
cabinet of ministers A cabinet is a body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the executive branch's top leaders. Members of a cabinet are usually called cabinet ministers or secretaries. The function of a cabinet varies: in some countrie ...
. On 4 October 2019, he purged the leadership of the public Sudanese universities, dismissing 28 chancellors and 35 vice-chancellors and appointed 34 vice-chancellors. The aim was to replace people in positions of power representing the al-Bashir government.


Assassination attempt

On 9 March 2020, a car explosion targeted Hamdok and his motorcade in an
assassination Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...
attempt in the capital
Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum ( ; ar, الخرطوم, Al-Khurṭūm, din, Kaartuɔ̈m) is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing n ...
. The culprit(s) has yet to be publicly identified. At least 3 vehicles were damaged in the attempt, but there were no casualties except for one security officer who was "lightly wounded."


October 2021 coup

On 25 October 2021, the Sudanese military, headed by
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan ( ar, عبد الفتاح عبد الرحمن البرهان, Abd al-FattāḥʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Burhān; born 11 July 1960) is a Sudanese politician and Sudanese Army general who is the ''de facto'' hea ...
, arrested Hamdok and other senior government figures in a
coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
. The Ministry of Information declared that Hamdok was "still the legitimate transitional authority in the country" and called for the "immediate release of the prime minister and all detained officials". The ministry also stated that "all unilateral measures and decisions taken by the military component lack any constitutional basis, violate the law, and are considered a crime." On 26 October, Hamdok, along with his wife, returned to his home in the Kafouri neighborhood of Khartoum. Hamdok’s release followed international condemnation of the coup and calls for the military to release all the detained government officials. On 27 October, representatives of the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are located primarily in Europe, Europe. The union has a total area of ...
, Norway, Jordan, Libya, Somalia, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Israel, South Sudan, Haiti, Venezuela, Paraguay, Switzerland, the United States and the United Kingdom declared that their countries "continue to recognize the Prime Minister amdokand his cabinet as the constitutional leaders of the transitional government". On 3 November,
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Ara ...
, the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (Middle East, The Middle East). It is ...
, the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
and
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called for the restoration of Sudan's civilian-led government. These countries also called for the end of a state of emergency, the release of political detainees, and "a genuine civil-military partnership" during the transition to elections. This was the first instance in which the UAE and Saudi Arabia have requested the restoration of a civilian-led government and return to power-sharing. On 21 November 2021, Hamdok was reinstated as prime minister after a political agreement was signed by Sudan's top general
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan ( ar, عبد الفتاح عبد الرحمن البرهان, Abd al-FattāḥʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Burhān; born 11 July 1960) is a Sudanese politician and Sudanese Army general who is the ''de facto'' hea ...
to restore the transition to civilian rule. The 14-point deal called for the release of all political prisoners detained during the coup and stipulated that a 2019 constitutional declaration be the basis for a political transition. However, the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) civilian coalition, which shared power with the military, and the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) both rejected the political deal. Large crowds of protestors also took to the streets to reject any deal involving the military. According to a spokesperson, this agreement was not voluntary on Hamdok's behalf, as "the pact had been struck with a gun to his head." At first it remained unclear how much power Hamdok and his cabinet would have after being reinstated as prime minister. However, by mid-December 2021, Hamdok was confident enough to dismiss the acting governors who had been appointed by General al- Burhan. He also replaced several government ministers appointed by the military, including some with close links to the previous regime of Omar al-Bashir.


Resignation as Prime Minister

On 2 January 2022, Hamdok announced his resignation as Prime Minister in a televised speech, saying that the country was at a dangerous turning point and roundtable discussion was needed to come to a new agreement for Sudan's political transition to democracy. According to sources, Hamdok's resignation was triggered by the military reneging on a "non-interference" agreement.


Views


Agriculture

Hamdok has pushed for a change from
subsistence agriculture Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements, with little or no ...
to "more dynamic, commercial oriented" agriculture in Africa, stating in 2014 that despite the fact 300 million Africans suffer from hunger, Africa should be capable of food self-sufficiency. Referring to the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report The Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the fifth in a series of such reports and was completed in 2014.IPCC (2014The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) leaflet/ref> As ha ...
(AR5) estimate of the effects of a 2-degree Celsius global average warming above pre-industrial levels, Hamdok noted that effects such as reduced rainfall could prevent Africa from reducing
extreme poverty Extreme poverty, deep poverty, abject poverty, absolute poverty, destitution, or penury, is the most severe type of poverty, defined by the United Nations (UN) as "a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, includi ...
. To combat hunger, Hamdok proposed infrastructure improvements (such as methods of transforming, storing and transporting excess produce to markets); the use of "climate information"; improved water management; and greater integration of agriculture with national industry and science and technology research institutions. During his term, he also dealt with the continent's 2019–2021 locust infestation.


Women's rights

As Prime Minister, Hamdok had the role in late August 2019 of selecting ministers from a list of candidates proposed to him by the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), apart from the Ministers of Interior and Defence, to be chosen by military members of the Sovereignty Council. Hamdok delayed his decision on which candidates to select, stating that one of his reasons for objecting was that too few women were present on the list. He stated that he would "take into account a fair representation of women". Four women became ministers in the Hamdok
Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...
: Asma Mohamed Abdalla as Foreign Minister, Lina al-Sheikh as Minister of Social Development and Labour, Wala'a Essam al-Boushi as Minister for Youth and Sports and Intisar el-Zein Soughayroun as Minister of Higher Education. In November 2019, the government of Sudan repealed all laws restricting women's freedom of dress, movement, association, work and study. Hamdok praised women in a message published on
social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social me ...
, saying that the laws were "an instrument of exploitation, humiliation, violation, aggression on the rights of citizens." In 2020, Hamdok passed a law to prohibit
female genital mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision, is the ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. The practice is found ...
.


Personal life

Hamdok married fellow economist Muna Abdalla in 1993 in south
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...
. They have two adult sons; one studying at
Exeter University , mottoeng = "We Follow the Light" , established = 1838 - St Luke's College1855 - Exeter School of Art1863 - Exeter School of Science 1955 - University of Exeter (received royal charter) , type = Public ...
and one who graduated from a university in the United States in the late 2010s.


See also

* Muhammad Sa'id al-Qaddal * Jimmy Lemi Milla * Omar al-Bashir


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamdok, Abdalla 1956 births Living people Prime Ministers of Sudan People from South Kordofan Leaders ousted by a coup People of the Sudanese Revolution Sudanese civil servants Sudanese democracy activists University of Khartoum alumni Alumni of the University of Manchester 21st-century Sudanese politicians