Magdi El-Gizouli and Nesrine Malik

A conversation between Magdi El-Gizouli and Nesrine Malik

In mid-August, Equator published a monumental two-part essay by the Sudanese doctor and academic Magdi El-Gizouli. Spanning memoir and reportage, political and economic analysis, his genre-defying text both paints an unforgettable portrait of war-torn Khartoum, and offers a masterful overview of post-colonial Sudanese history. It is far and away the most intellectually rigorous – not to mention stylish – English essay published about the Sudanese Civil War. Part of the text’s value lies in El-Gizouli’s insider perspective: he writes as someone born and raised in Sudan, with deep ties to the country.

This perspective is shared by Equator's co-founder Nesrine Malik, who grew up in Khartoum, and whose family has likewise been dispersed by the ongoing conflict. In this Zoom conversation, Malik and El-Gizouli use the latter’s essay as a launchpad to discuss the deep history, violent present and uncertain future of the civil war. It is a rare opportunity to listen to two Sudanese intellectuals – rather than external observers – speak about life in a country that has faced immense suffering in recent years.

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