Strategic Expert Professor Abu Salih: Sudanese Parties are not Qualified to Present an Inclusive National Vision

Interview: Mahjoub Al-Khalifa

Strategic expert Professor Mohamed Hussein Abu Salih explained the conflict crisis in Sudan since Independence as both cultural and political dilemma, referring the beginnings of the crisis to the early fifties of the last century.

Abu Salih said, in an interview with the (Sudanese Echoes) platform, that Sudan’s problem is how to build and establish a vision of a state and not a plan of a party or tribe, stressing that building a state requires cultural, political, social and military arrangements and exploiting external opportunities and making arrangements to deal with the world, “The world is not ruled by angels.” He said.

Abu Salih attributed the failure of governments since Sudan’s independence to the absence of a national vision and resorting to military rule. He asserted that the parties cannot present an inclusive national vision because they are not qualified for that and because they only present a partisan ideology with agendas of other parties. He pointed out that the Sudanese parties, throughout their history, have tended towards military production and the use of weapons instead of going to research and liaise with universities and scientific centers, categorically stating that any military coup in Sudan is backed by a political party.

Abu Salih said that ancient Sudan was an advanced country and preceded other nations in architecture, space science and engineering because it was taking care of science and scientists, unlike Sudan today where the state allocates the least percentages in the budget for education. “The protocol places the Minister of Higher Education in last place.” He added. He continued “Instead of caring about developing education and scientists, the country is filled with tanks, cannons and weapons.”

Abu Salih stressed the need to end the conflict in Sudan and the gun becomes protecting the homeland from the aggressions of others instead of using it to address differences in viewpoints.