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A28 WORLD NEWS
Friday 10 July 2020

In this Aug. 21, 2019 file photo, Sudan's new Prime Minister Ab-
dalla Hamdok speaks during a press conference in Khartoum,
Sudan.
Associated Press
Sudan reshuffles

government, hoping In this Sept. 2, 2019 file photo, logs are stacked at a lumber mill surrounded by recently charred

to appease protesters and deforested fields near Porto Velho, Rondonia state, Brazil. Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Sudan's until elections can be held Brazil asks investment firms to
transitional government in 2022. Still, the military has
announced a major Cabi- retained the upper hand in adopt protected Amazon areas
net reshuffle on Thursday, many ways.
hoping to defuse public The Cabinet shake-up was
discontent over economic widely expected after Associated Press ence in Brasilia after the vir- and enforcement of Brazil's
collapse and other crises hundreds of thousands ral- RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Bra- tual meeting. The funding, forest code, among other
that have tested the coun- lied in Sudan's major cities zil's government on Thurs- for example, could pay for issues important for their
try's path toward democ- again on June 30 to pres- day proposed that global security to prevent people assessments, according
racy. sure the government for re- asset-managers adopt from entering the areas. to a statement from Store-
Prime Minister Abdalla form. Protesters demanded protected areas in the Am- President Jair Bolsonaro brand, one of the financial
Hamdok accepted the the speedy appointment azon rainforest in order to took office in 2019 with institutions at the meeting.
resignation of six ministers, of civilian provincial gov- curb illegal deforestation pledges to unlock the "We are evaluating, and
including the finance min- ernors, the formation of a ahead of the season farm- riches of the vast Amazon having a dialogue with the
ister criticized for failing to legislative council and the ers traditionally use fire to and has repeatedly op- government is a way to try
rescue the plunging econ- completion of peace deals clear land and brush. posed large territories be- to minimize the risk of di-
omy. He also dismissed the with rebels in the country's Vice President Hamilton ing reserved for Indigenous vesting," Jeanett Bergan,
health minister in the wake restive provinces. At the Mourão, who heads the peoples. His government head of responsible invest-
of a coronavirus outbreak time, Hamdok pledged to government's council on faced international criti- ments for Norway's larg-
that has hit the country take "decisive steps" within the Amazon region, held cism last year when de- est pension fund, KLP, said
hard. two weeks. a video call with represen- forestation in the Amazon by phone from Norway.
A government statement Reshuffling gives the gov- tatives of investment firms reached it worst level in "We hope the dialogue
named the acting replace- ernment room to appoint and said he hopes for fi- 11 years. As a result, some can bring forward positive
ments for the seven posts, several ministers from reb- nancial support from them members of European leg- results and progress, we
which also include foreign, el groups, as a condition to support environmental islatures have said they won't see the same as last
energy, agriculture and of peace negotiations protection projects. Last would vote against ratifica- year with all the forest fires,
transportation ministers. expected to conclude month, mainly European in- tion of a free-trade deal be- and maybe see positive
"The trust that the people in the coming week. The vestment firms sent a letter tween the European Union results coming out of this
have given the transitional Sudanese Revolutionary expressing concern over and the Mercosur customs after awhile. It's a positive
government obliges us to Front, an alliance of rebel rising deforestation and union that includes Brazil, first step and we need to
listen to the voice of the groups, visited the capital demanded forceful action which was signed in June continue the dialogue and
street," said Hamdok, re- of Khartoum this week to against illegal activities in 2019 after two decades of hopefully we'll all see some
ferring to the sweeping discuss a few outstanding the Amazon. The 34 firms negotiation. results on the ground."
protest movement that points in the deal, such as that have now signed onto Deforestation in the Ama- Bergan added that KLP's
toppled longtime autocrat rebels' participation in the the initiative have a total zon increased 22% in the participation in any Brazil-
Omar al-Bashir in April last yet-to-be-formed legisla- $4.6 trillion in assets under first five months of this year ian program would require
year. tive council. Sudan has for management. compared to the same more details and informa-
He added that the chang- decades been convulsed "The Adopt a Park program period of 2019, the govern- tion.
es were aimed at meeting by insurgencies in the west will permit each of these ment agency that moni- KLP has about $53 mil-
"accelerated economic and south, and last year's national and foreign com- tors the rainforest reported lion invested in 58 Brazilian
and social changes." power-sharing deal re- panies to choose one of June 6. Data for the full companies. It has already
Following al-Bashir's ouster, quired the government the 132 conservation units month of June has yet to divested from Brazilian
Sudan's military and pro- reach a peace agreement in the Amazon and start fi- be released. meatpacker JBS, mining gi-
democracy protesters within six months. Although nancially supporting them, In the video call on Thurs- ant Vale and power com-
reached a power-sharing the deadline has expired, for monitoring, preven- day, investors told Brazilian pany Eletrobras for reason
agreement to form the Khartoum wants to ink a tion and recovery," envi- authorities they are moni- related to either corruption,
Sovereign Council, made settlement and reduce mil- ronment minister Ricardo toring deforestation rates, the environment or human
up of army generals and itary spending, which takes Salles said in a press confer- the prevention of forest fires rights. q
civilians, to rule the country up 80% of the budget. q