Not only is Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir likely to lose a huge chunk of territory in a few months, as the referendum vote on independence comes to fruition and South Sudan secedes from the North, but he also faced protests in the capital of Khartoum stemming from economic and political discontent. The protests did not gain significant traction, but they did prompt Bashir to make a public statement that he is not concerned that he could end up following Ben Ali and Mubarak's footsteps, the Sudan Tribune reported. The country faces a deep economic crisis and the government cut subsidies for many staples last month. The situation could get worse if North Sudan loses access to South Sudan’s oil reserves this summer after secession.