Bakri Hassan Saleh picked to be Bashir’s prime minister

March 1, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party Wednesday has picked the First Vice-President Bakri Hassan Saleh for the newly created post of prime minister.

The new prime minister whose mandate is to implement the out of national dialogue conference will lead a cabinet appointed by President Omer al-Bashir representing all the political forces involved in the process.

“The leadership bureau, in a meeting chaired by President Omer al-Bashir has agreed to nominate Bakri Hassan Saleh to the positions of head of Council of Ministers and First Vice-President,” announced the Presidential Assistant Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid on Wednesday evening.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the presidential palace on Thursday, following what, a press conference will be organised at 02.00 pm, in the presence of the members of higher national dialogue mechanism and the government ministers.

Mahmoud said that the prime minister will hold consultations to form a government with the political forces.

Sahel has been appointed as first vice president in December 2013.

He was one of the officers that conduct a coup d’état in June 1989 to bring his close friend Omer al-Bashir to power.

He served as vice chairman of the security and defence committee of the Revolutionary Command Council, security service director, president’s advisor for security affairs, interior minister, minister of presidential affairs, and the minister of defence.

(ST)