Sudan augments opposition NDA representation in unity government

Nov 21, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir agreed to rise the percentage of representation in the government of National Unity offered to the opposition National democratic Alliance, the state-run SUNA reported.

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (L) talks to opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leader Osman al-Mirghani (C), while Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak (R) listens to them, before signing the Sudanese peace agreement in Cairo June 18, 2005. (Reuters).

Al-Beshir called the chairperson of the National Democratic Alliance, Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani to discuss implementation of Cairo agreement signed between the ruling National Congress and the NDA.

According to the last modification the NDA’s posts in the government of National Unity are: Presidential advisor, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Sciences and Technology, State Minister at the Ministry of Agriculture, 20 MPs at the National Assembly and 39 MPs at the regional legislative assemblies, 10 ministerial posts in the regional governments and 8 posts at the departmental level.

Egypt has been very involved in reconciliation efforts between NDA and the Sudanese regime to guarantee the participation of the Sudanese opposition alliance in the new government.

The NDA, an umbrella opposition group, includes a dozen or so largely northern political parties, trade union representatives and the southern rebel SPLM.

The group has been battling both politically and militarily the government of President Omar Hassan al-Beshir ever since he came to power in a military coup in 1989.

The Sudanese government and the NDA signed a reconciliation agreement on June 18, 2005 which paved the way for discussions on the formation of a new government.

(ST)