Sudan’s first cabinet after south’s secession brings little change

December 7, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan announced the long awaited formation of the first new cabinet after the country’s breakup last July.

The delay has been explained by negotiations that were ongoing between the NCP and major opposition parties particularly the National Umma Party (NUP) and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) on taking up posts in the new government.

Talks with the NUP failed to produce any agreement while the DUP decided to join ranks with the NCP in the 11th hour.

The NCP deputy chairman and presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie read out the names of the ministers following a leadership meeting today headed by president Omer Hassan al-Bashir at the party’s headquarters in Khartoum.

To the disappointment of many observers and ordinary citizens the NCP maintained the major portfolios and with the same faces.

This included the ministries of defense, interior, presidential affairs, foreign relations, finance, electricity, justice, science and technology, social welfare, animal wealth and culture.

The few shuffles in the NCP ministries sent the industrialization minister Awad al-Jaz to the oil ministry and Kamal Abdel-Latif from human resources ministry to mining ministry.

The DUP was given the ministries of commerce (Osman Omer al-Sharif), council of ministers (Ahmed Omer Sa’ad), youth and sports (Al-Fatih Taj al-Sir).

Another faction of the DUP was assigned the ministries of international cooperation (Ishraqa Sayed), Environment and Forestry (Hassan Hilal) and Human Resources (Abdeen Mohamed).

The ministries of transportation, tourism and information were taken by breakaway factions of the NUP

Nafie said there are still ministries that have yet to be assigned pending consultation with other political forces namely Liberation for Justice Movement (LJM), Beja Congress, The Muslim Brotherhood, Democratic East party and breakaway faction of the Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N).

The NCP has promised over the last year a reduced number of ministries and young faces as a kickoff for what is known as the “Second Republic” formed after South Sudan seceded from the north.

Sudan is going through an acute economic crisis and growing discontent within the political forces and even the NCP base over the slow turnover of officials at the top government posts.

Bashir announced that he will not seek reelection after his term is over this year. Analysts say that revolts in several countries in the Arab world such as Egypt, Libya and Tunisia is adding to pressure on the NCP to embrace change.

(ST)