After the 2019 revolution, Sudan was on track for international debt relief. However, this Western resolve changed after the October 2021 military coup that toppled the interim government formed after Bashir's overthrow. The government in Moscow used the West's disillusionment with Sudan's quick democratic transition to revive its military and economic interests in Sudan.

As the war in Ukraine rages on following Russia's intervention, Sudan's military and Russia are seeking to intensify relations and renew numerous agreements in various areas, including security and mining. For the past decade, the resource-rich African country has been Russia's gateway to expand its influence in Africa. 

Against this backdrop, the latest issue of Spotlight on Sudan, a product of the Regional Program Political Dialogue in the Southern Mediterranean of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS PolDiMed), examines the geopolitical dimension of Sudan's fragile transition. This issue outlines Russia's relations with Sudanese political actors and highlights economic and security relations between Russia and Sudan.