Sudan has confirmed its approval for Russia to establish its first naval base in Africa. The long-delayed plan for a Red Sea military port will now proceed, according to Sudan’s foreign minister. This announcement follows the recent overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which raised questions about the future of Russia’s naval base in Tartus on the eastern Mediterranean.
In 2023, Moscow and Khartoum announced their intention to sign an agreement to establish a logistics center for the Russian Navy in Sudan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the announcement during a joint news conference with Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali al-Sadiq Ali.
Lavrov visited Sudan on February 9, 2023, following his second tour in Africa that year. He met with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the de facto head of Sudan, his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, and Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali al-Sadiq. Lavrov’s last visit to Sudan was in 2014.
If implemented, this agreement would position Russia alongside the US and China, both of which have bases in Djibouti to the south.
During a visit to Moscow, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Youssef Ahmed al-Sharif confirmed that both countries are in “complete agreement” on establishing the Russian base and that there are “no obstacles”.
The Red Sea is one of the world’s most crucial waterways, linking the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean, with about 12% of global trade passing through it.
The idea of a Russian naval facility on Sudan’s coast was first proposed in 2017 during a trip to Sochi by then-President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in a coup in 2019. A deal was signed in 2020, reportedly allowing Russia to station up to four navy ships, including nuclear-powered ones, in Sudan for 25 years.
The draft agreement stated that the bases would serve logistical purposes and were “defensive and not aimed against other countries”.
After the meeting with Lavrov, Sharif clarified that a new deal was unnecessary as the 2020 agreement still stood, and there was “no disagreement”, only requiring ratification by both sides.
Progress on the deal had stalled due to lingering differences over its terms between Sudan’s military and civilian leaders. The civil war that began in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) further complicated relations, with the Russian-backed Wagner group supporting the RSF while the Kremlin appeared to back the Sudanese army.
The plan to establish a naval base, which would grant Russia access to the strategic Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, was put on hold indefinitely due to Sudan’s political instability.
Despite this, Russia has continued to provide military support to Khartoum, accounting for about 87% of the country’s armament, with only 8% being of Chinese origin, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
In November 2020, the Sudanese Navy received a training vessel from Russia, as part of ongoing bilateral military cooperation. The Russian-Sudan military cooperation agreement includes joint military training, engineering training, and military education.
Last April, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, visited Sudan, pledging “uncapped” support for its army. Russia has also backed Sudan at the UN Security Council, vetoing a resolution calling for a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, a move criticized by the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy.
In recent months, Sudan’s army has achieved several victories against the RSF and is increasingly confident of defeating the paramilitary group, whose leaders the US has accused of genocide. In January, the US imposed sanctions on Sudan’s army leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, for “choosing war over good-faith negotiation”.
Russia’s loyalty in Sudan appears to be shifting, with both Russia and its proxy, the Wagner Group, courting both sides of the conflict to ensure favor with whichever side prevails in the power struggle.
In the meantime, Russia co continues to explore other options for its naval aspirations in Africa, such as Central African Republic, Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti, where it could potentially establish a foothold. However, these countries also pose significant challenges and risks, such as piracy, terrorism, and regional rivalries, that could complicate Russia’s plans.
