United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have come to the rescue of financially crippled Sudan with critical financial help. The two countries pledged three billion dollars in support for the country that is transitioning from the 30-year-rule of deposed leader Omar al-Bashir. The two Gulf states will inject $500 million into the Sudanese central bank and $2.5 billion to help provide food, medicine, and petroleum products. However, it is still not known whether the money is a grant or loan. The infusion of funds into the Sudanese central bank is expected to shore up the Sudanese pound, which has been considerably devalued on account of the severe shortage of dollar in the country. This has triggered nation –wide protests and violence. Both Saudi Arabia and UAE have called for “stability” and a “peaceful transition” in the days following Bashir’s ouster. Even after the United States lifted its 20-year-old trade embargo on the country in October 2017, the Sudanese currency did not pick up. This had put further pressure on the Sudanese Pound. The country’s economic crisis has deepened since the balkanization of South Sudan in 2011 which considerably reduced the oil earnings.
