Sudan to conduct population census in 2018
June 22, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese president, Omer al-Bashir, on Monday, issued a decision providing to conduct the first census in the country since the secession of South Sudan.
The process will be supervised by the Higher Census Council headed by the first vice-president who will be seconded by the cabinet minister and the director general of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
In line with the presidential decision, regional census committees with be formed at the state-level. They will be headed by the governors while CBS regional directors are appointed as rapporteurs.
The results of April 2008 census show the population at 39.15 million, with 21% (8.26 million) living in the South Sudan before the independence.
The fifth Sudan Population and Housing Census, was a milestone in the implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The results of the census were supposed to serve as basis to review the power and wealth sharing between northern and southern Sudan.
The first census in Sudan was conducted in 1955 and followed by three others in 1965, 1983 and 1993.
(ST)