Domestic Politics

Several countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Britain, called in a joint statement for the restoration of Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government and reverse the military coup that happened two weeks ago. 

With the opposition preparing to take to the streets, Saturday's vote does not appear to have provided the closure that some had wanted and hoped for, and Georgia remains a politically polorised and divided society

Georgians are voting today in the second round of local elections to choose Mayors and local Councillors in a number of key cities where the first round of voting, held on 2 October was inconclusive. The total number of voters eligible to vote in the second round is 2,088,722 - around half of which in the capital, Tbilisi. Georgians appear to be tired of the non stop polorised politics that has dominated public life in recent years, but it is unlikely that the elections will bring a closure to the huge divide within Georgian society.

The political situation in Georgia had been building up to a crisis for some time, and the situation became more tense following the return to the country of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, who had earlier been sentenced to several terms of imprisonment for crimes committed during his term of office. Saakashvili was duly arrested and has since gone on hunger strike.