Sudanese court blocks sale of land to Saudi investor
June 28, 2013, (KHARTOUM) – The Khartoum state Supreme Court has issued a ruling to stop devolution of Mugarsam Island in the Red Sea state to the Saudi businessman Ahmed Abdullah al-Hassaini and to hand over the site to the Sudanese citizen Diyab Ibrahim Diyab.
A copy of the court ruling was sent to the mayor of Jabait Al-Maaden in the Red Sea state.
The Saudi businessman was planning to invest $11 billion in the 300 km site to build a project containing several towers, hotels and resorts, a port and an international airport, and a marina area.
Hashim Fadl, the lawyer of the Sudanese citizen Diyab Ibrahim told reporters yesterday that his client has a rent contract of the site with the General Administration of Wildlife which extends from 2005 until 2015, saying that his client was surprised by the decision of the Supreme Council for Investment to give the site to the Saudi businessman.
He further added that his client had resorted to the Supreme Court after exhausting all appeals and requests to the presidency, ministry of justices, and ministry of tourism.
Despite great concessions the Sudanese government is offering to foreign investors, it has acknowledged some difficulties that are hampering its plans and programs.
Earlier this month Sudan’s minister for investment cited a number of obstacles to investment, most importantly disputes over land ownership.
Last April, hundreds of Om Doum residents in Khartoum staged demonstrations, blockading the main street and setting tires on fire to express fury against what they say are government plans to give away part of their lands to a Saudi investor.
(ST)