Sudanese military firm agrees to give up civilian business

Finance ministry hails move it says will allow the public to benefit at a time of severe economic crisis.

Sudan’s information ministry says one of the country’s largest military companies has agreed to gradually hand over its civilian operations to the finance ministry, with the aim of eventually converting it to a public shareholding firm. If completed, the spin-off of Defense Industrial Systems’ civilian business could help ease the tension between the civilian and military elements of Sudan’s transitional government. Many civilian politicians view the opaque business activities of the country’s military as inappropriate and complain its profits are not included in the state budget.