Formation Of Sudan's New Gov't Delayed Due To Absence Of Candidates' Lists - Minister

The formation of the Sudan's new cabinet has been postponed to a later date as the country's political forces are yet to submit the lists of candidates, Faisal Mohammed Saleh, the country's information minister and the spokesman for the nation's transitional government, told Sputnik on Wednesday

KHARTOUM (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd February, 2021) The formation of the Sudan's new cabinet has been postponed to a later date as the country's political forces are yet to submit the lists of candidates, Faisal Mohammed Saleh, the country's information minister and the spokesman for the nation's transitional government, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

Earlier in the week, a senior member of the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) alliance, Al-Tijani Mustafa, told Sputnik that the political forces in Sudan had reached an agreement on the composition of the new transitional government. According to the FFC member, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok plans to keep the incumbent minister of irrigation, justice and religion affairs in the new cabinet. The final composition of the new cabinet was expected to be announced on February 4.

"The announcement of the new government will be postponed to another date. ... The Sudanese Revolutionary Front [SRF] has not yet submitted its nominations to the prime minister," Saleh said, adding that the FFC alliance has also not completed its list of candidates.

No candidates have been named for the posts of defense and internal ministers, who should be nominated by the country's military leadership in line with an agreement on the distribution of powers for the transitional period, according to the minister.

"The government will not be definitely announced tomorrow, on Thursday. ... Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok is responsible for reviewing and checking the lists of nominations, so he will not be able to declare the creation of the government as long as he does not receive candidacies in sufficient time," Saleh added.

In August 2019, the Sudanese military and civilian political forces agreed to a collaborative governance system following a coup and months of violent protests. They formed an institution, the Sovereign Council, with equal military-civilian representation and rotating chairmanship to govern the country for the next 39 months of transition period.

Last July, seven interim ministers were dismissed amid criticism of their professional performance and replaced with interim charges d'affaires.

In January, Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan warned political groups that if they delay the nominations to the new cabinet any longer amid unceasing disagreements, the appointments would be made in an emergency mode.

Under the peace agreement signed by the Sudanese government and several groups affiliated with the SRF in October 2020, both parties should share power in the new cabinet.