The Sudanese Factor in the 1952-53 Anglo-Egyptian Negotiations

The Sudanese factor was indeed a primary factor for the settlement of the Anglo-Egyptian dispute over the Sudan and the conclusion of the 12 February 1953 Agreement. Based on British primary sources as well as Egyptian and Sudanese literature, this article discusses the role of this factor, tracing its development and showing how the new military leaders in Egypt reckoned on it to support their stand during the negotiations held with the British Government between November 1952 and February 1953. The article analyses the political agreements signed between the Egyptian Government and the Sudanese political parties. It goes further to discuss the dominance of the Sudanese factor during the transitional period that preceded the declaration of independence on 1 January 1956.