The new Cabinet was formed through consensus following months of consultations with parties to the peace agreement.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok Monday evening announced the formation of the new government, which included 26 ministerial posts.
Hamdok said that the new Cabinet will address crises and prevent the country from collapsing.
“We looked at the world around us, so we put a compass in front of us to keep the country from collapsing with this formation, which also accommodates the peace agreement,” Hamdok said during a press conference in Khartoum.
He said the new Cabinet was formed through consensus following months of consultations with parties to the peace agreement, and considering criteria such as academic qualification, and practical and administrative experiences.
Five ministers retained their positions—Defence Minister Lieutenant General Yassin Ibrahim Yassin, Nasreddin Abdel Bari (Justice), Nasreddin Mufreh (Religious Affairs), Yassir Abbas (Irrigation and Water Resources) and Intisar Segairon (Higher Education).
Hamdok did not name the Minister of Education, saying this will be done at a later date after further consultation.
The new Cabinet saw the creation of new ministries, the critical of which were Investment and Petroleum ministries. In addition, Hamdok announced the separation of Ministry of Industry from that of Trade.
Hamdok said also announced an integrated programme, to be ratified this week, that will help boost the economy and ensure the implementation of the peace agreement, justice for victims, and balanced foreign relations.
Since September 8, 2019, Hamdok has headed a transitional government, the first since Omar al-Bashir was ousted on April 11, 2019 following pressure from popular protests over the deteriorating economic conditions.
On November 3 of that year, the Sovereign Council and the Ministers approved amendments to a constitutional document, according to which the current government was formed.
The amendments included the formation of a new government headed by Hamdok, in which the factions that signed the October 3, 2019 peace agreement with Khartoum would select 25 percent of the ministers.
The transitional period in Sudan began on August 21, 2019 and is scheduled to last for 53 months, ending with elections in 2024, during which power will be shared by the army and the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, which led protests against Al-Bashir’s regime.
