July 28, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - The chairman of the Sudan Emergency Economic Committee and member of the Sovereign Council Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (Hemetti) severely criticized some institutions and officials before to accuse them of cooperating with a "mafia" that controls Sudan’s economy.
Last April, Hamdok formed an emergency economic committee chaired by Hemetti to stabilize the Sudanese economy and control the ramping inflation which exceeded 136% by the end of June 2020 according to the official records.
Speaking in a ceremony to inaugurate gold expectations by private companies in line with the new reform on Monday, Hemetti said that the committee failed to implement any recommendations or decisions.
"The committee formed eight sub-committees, which started actual work, but they face obstructions everywhere."
"There is a large mafia network that controls the economy. We will not solve the economic crisis unless we fight it. We will fight it and we will not leave it despite the threats of liquidation."
Hemetti went further in his criticism to denounce the absence of the principle of accountability and control over major economic activities, which led to the loss of millions of dollars, as he said.
He said that the government overlooked to hold accountable those responsible for the rejection of 150,000 head of livestock by Saudi health authorities for the lack of vaccination.
He further criticized the Ministry of Commerce’s dealings with investors when they apply for gold export licenses, saying that one of the exporters was arrested in the ministry instead of honouring him and facilitating his procedures.
Hemetti who is also the General Commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said his militiamen had previously stopped an aircraft carrying 340 kilos of gold but it was released by the authorities.
He was referring to a private plane belonging to a Moroccan company operating in the Nile River state arrested by the SRF on 9 May.
At the time, Sudanese officials said the plane had the needed approval from the Bank of Sudan for gold exportation but it failed to take the authorisation to leave the airport near the production area.
Hemetti also rejected attacks directed against the Al-Junaid gold mining company which belongs to the RSF but it is widely reported to be owned by Hemetti and his siblings.
He said that this company monthly produces between 30 to 40 km of gold which is delivered to the Bank of Sudan, as he said.
The former Minister of Economy Ibrahim al-Badawi earlier this month said he diverged with the prime minister over the control of economic activities run by the military institutions, pointing that the latter did not approve his recommendations.
Hemetti stressed that the economy is currently managed according to the interests of the same lobbies that were working with the former regime.
"They only changed colour to adapt to the change that occurred".
"We will not remain silent ... the destruction of the country is carried out from Khartoum and by well-known people who can be clearly named," he added.
He pointed out that this mafia is working to destroy the country quickly, stressing that it has evidence to prove its involvement in acts harmful to the economy.
"Those who lead this mafia group appear as chaste but they are criminals," he emphasised.
