Sudan’s new cabinet to be announced soon after DUP’s position – official
November 2, 2011 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP) said the formation of a new cabinet is belated due to the ongoing talks with the opposition Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), he also urged the latter to determine its position and take the requested measures.
DUP deputy chairman Ali Mahmoud Hassanein who is based in London, chairs an opposition umbrella calling to overthrow the NCP’s government while al-Tom Hajo, a leading figure and member of the Blue Nile state government joined the SPLM in its fight against the Sudanese army since last September.
The head of the NCP foreign relations sector, Mustafa Osman Ismail, told reporters in Khartoum on Wednesday that the delay of the new government is not caused by disagreements within his party. He stressed that they know how many ministries will occupy and how many other ministerial posts will be allocated to the other political forces.
Ismail further said that what is delaying the government’s announcement is a continuous dialogue with the DUP, “despite the conflicting statements we hear here and there.”
“We hope in the coming days or within a few hours the Democratic Unionist Party can determine its position and then the National Congress will form the cabinet in no more than twenty-four hours,” he stated.
The presidential adviser further pointed out they are keen to get the DUP in the new cabinet because they want to form a broad-based government after the independence of South Sudan.
After the independence of South Sudan on 9 July and the end of the interim period for the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the opposition parties called for the formation of a national cabinet and a comprehensive parliament to settle Darfur and South Kordofan conflicts as well as the outstanding issues with the South.
The opposition also said the constituent assembly will deliberate and draft a new constitution to be endorsed by the Sudanese people. But, the NCP rejected any idea to dispute the legitimacy of President Omer al-Bashir, his government or the parliament saying they were fairly elected in April 2010.
However, two main opposition parties accepted to dialogue with the ruling party over the new government and the elaboration of the new constitution. The Uma National Party of Sadiq al-Mahdi and the DUP said their participation should lead to ensure the democratic transition and therefore they should be heavily represented in the new cabinet and the parliament.
But the NCP reiterated it should remain dominant in the new cabinet and parliament.
Ismail said they held talks with the parties that accepted the principle of democratic transition and refused to dialogue with other opposition parties like the communist party and the Popular Congress Party who want to “overthrow the government.”
The Uma Party ended talks with the NCP and declined publicly to participate in the new cabinet. The DUP seems divided on their participation as some of its members call to join the government in order to make some changes from inside the regime.
However, different sources in the opposition DUP say the recent developments might lead its leader al-Mirghani to end the ongoing talks with the NCP because it would cause more divisions within the party.
(ST)