Bobby Ghosh, Columnist

A Coup Fails in Sudan but Its Fragile Democracy Remains at Risk

One of the few bright spots in a swath of authoritarianism could use some financial and moral support from the rest of the world.

September 23, 2021 at 6:00 AM UTC

By Bobby Ghosh

Bobby Ghosh is a senior editor in the digital weekend team. Previously, he was a columnist at Bloomberg Opinion, where he wrote mostly about international affairs and culture.

Sudan's prime minister Abdalla Hamdok in 2019
Photographer: ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP

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Sudan’s transition to democracy was rudely jolted this week, when a group of military officers loyal to the ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir attempted a coup in Khartoum against the civilian-led administration of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Their failure is cause for relief, but neither the government nor the wider world can afford to exhale.

For the best part of two years, Sudan has been a shining exception to the trend of democratic retrenchment across much of Africa and a beacon of hope amid the gathering gloom of autocratic populism worldwide. After widespread protests brought an end to Bashir’s 30-year tyranny in the spring of 2019, the military and opposition groups agreed to share power for a 39-month period.