Sudan government returns to Khartoum after nearly three-year absence

January 11, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Prime Minister Kamil Idris said on Sunday the government had returned to Khartoum, ending a nearly three-year relocation to Port Sudan prompted by the 2023 outbreak of war.

Federal ministries relocated to the Red Sea city in April 2023 after fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rendered the capital unsafe and wrecked much of its infrastructure.

Speaking at a news conference, Idris said the move back to Khartoum was “final and comprehensive,” with only a handful of departments still completing the transfer. Government offices are reopening in makeshift headquarters in central and southern districts; the Presidential Palace and several ministry buildings remain too damaged for use.

The return follows the army’s recapture of the capital in May 2025 and a subsequent campaign to restore power, water and road links overseen by a sovereign-council committee. Internet and sewage networks, looted while the RSF held parts of the city, are still being repaired.

Idris told reporters the relocation was a step toward “inevitable peace,” adding that negotiations must produce an accord “that satisfies all Sudanese.” He predicted Sudan would rejoin the African Union this year, saying the bloc “needs Sudan as a founding member” and that talks were underway to lift Khartoum’s suspension on terms that serve “national interests.”

Addressing residents of the Bahri district, the prime minister pledged that the 2026 budget would avoid new taxes and forecast that inflation would fall to 70 per cent while gross domestic product would expand by 10 per cent. He vowed to prioritise health, education and basic services, including electricity and sanitation, calling 2026 the “year of peace.”

Idris thanked Red Sea State authorities for hosting the government and praised state governors for helping citizens return. He described Khartoum as “the capital of dignity and victory” and promised to finish stalled infrastructure projects.