Sudan's embattled Bashir heads to Qatar amid widespread protests

Sudan's embattled president will visit Qatar on Tuesday in his first trip abroad since widespread protests began against his government.

Omar al-Bashir is set to arrive in Doha and will meet with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani the next day, Qatari state media reported.

According to a statement from the Sudanese Presidency the leaders will discuss "efforts to promote peace in Darfur and regional issues".

Sudanese sources told The New Arab's Arabic-language service that Bashir's trip the first stop in a Gulf tour that will include visits to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Qatar and Sudan enjoy close relations, with Doha's investments in the African country estimated to exceed $3.8 billion.

Qatar's ruler phoned Bashir shortly after the anti-government protests against his rule began on December 19 and offered Doha's support to resolve the crisis in Sudan.

The small Gulf state has mediated between Khartoum and rebel groups involved in the Darfur conflict. An estimated 60,000 Sudanese live in Qatar.

Political analyst Ali Bakeer said Bashir will likely use the meeting to ask for aid to overcome the internal crisis.

"Khartoum has recently become the centre of a geopolitical competition between different camps mainly Turkey and Qatar from one side, Saudi Arabia and UAE from another," Bakeer said.

"Bashir will try to utilise the regional differences to survive his internal crisis,"

"Whether he will get such financial support from Doha along with strings or not, is something still to be seen in my opinion, but Bashir's crisis goes beyond money as he is in power since the Soviet Union era… and is looking to stay longer," he added.

The demonstrations have spread to several Sudanese cities and officials say 26 people have died so far in the protests, while rights group Amnesty International has put the death toll at more than 40.

The protests, which were sparked by the decision to triple the price of bread, are the biggest challenge yet to the authority of Bashir.

Sudan is facing an economic crisis, driven by a shortage of foreign currency and soaring inflation.

Bashir has pointed the finger at "conspirators" and Darfur rebels for causing the violence.