Sudan announces long-awaited ‘consensus government’

By Mohammed Amin

KHARTOUM

Sudan has announced the formation of a long-awaited “consensus” government that includes representatives of political parties and armed groups that took part in President Omar al-Bashir’s national dialogue initiative.

Based on recommendations that came out of the almost-three-year-long dialogue initiative, the new government's formation was announced late Thursday by First Vice-President and Prime Minister Bakri Hassan Salih.

At a press conference convened in capital Khartoum, Salih told reporters that al-Bashir had issued a presidential decree formally establishing the new government.

“According to articles 58 and 70 of the Sudanese transitional constitution, and after consultations with the head of the council of ministers, the Sudanese presidency has issued a presidential decree [calling for] the formation of the consensus government,” he said.

The new government includes 31 ministers and 40 ministers of state, eight of whom would be drawn from the ranks of the opposition, the PM explained.

“The percentage of member of [al-Bashir’s ruling] National Congress Party (NCP) in the outgoing government stood at 67,” Salih said.

“But the NCP has conceded eight ministries to pave the way for the formation of the new government and support national dialogue,” he added.

Political parties and armed groups that boycotted al-Bashir’s dialogue initiative are not represented in the new government.

Announcement of the new government had been postponed since last month to allow additional consultations between those parties and groups that took part in the initiative.

Al-Bashir’s national dialogue initiative concluded last October by issuing a number of recommendations, including the formation of a new “consensus” government (to include members of the opposition); the drafting of a new Sudanese constitution; and the creation of a prime ministerial post for the first time in almost three decades.