Political Forces Hand Over Nominees for Sudan’s New Cabinet, not SRF

Prime Minister Hamdok meets a delegation of the Sudanese National Party on 1 Feb 2021 (ST photo)

February 1, 2021 (KHARTOUM) - The political groups of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) Monday handed over their nominees for 17 ministries to Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok who is still waiting for the list of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF).

The Council of Partners, which includes the parties to power, decided to form the new government next Thursday 4 February, while the FFC and SRF pledged to hand over their nominees on Monday.

The cabinet office announced in a statement on Monda that Hamdok received a list of the FFC nominations for 17 ministries.

However, media reports say the difference between the SRF factions delayed the handover of the SRF list.

On Sunday several small groups from the SRF led by Minni Minnawi held a press conference to contest the formation of the post peace government and some of them called anticipated elections.

The SRF groups, in line with the peace agreement, got 25% of the cabinet portfolios, which is equivalent to 7 ministries.

A member of the FFC Nominations Committee, Ibrahim al-Sheikh, said, "The nominations meet criteria related to the political awareness of the challenges facing the country, academic qualification and experience."

The FFC nominations "largely expressed the diversity and plurality of the country," al-Sheikh further said.

Inclusive consultations

The Sudan Tribune learned that Hamdok wants to expand consultations with the forces that have moved away from the Freedom and Change Alliance to ensure a wider representation in the new government.

He made contacts with the Communist Party and the Sudanese Professional Association to meet with him.

He also met delegations of the Civic Forces Caucus and the Sudanese National Party, a political group from the Nuba Mountains area.

On January 28, the civilian forces group withdrew from the ruling FFC meeting to approve the nominations, following the rejection of one of their nominee.

"We affirm that it is important the revolutionary forces form the new government according to the agreed criteria," said Hamdok in a statement released on Monday.

"Only the enemies of the revolution will benefit from fragmentation," he further stressed.

The prime minister underscored "the need for a programme that would contribute to pushing forward the transition process during the coming period to achieve the democratic transformation, peace and economic reforms."

The Civil Forces Caucus says that the process of nominations to the positions of ministers did not adhere to the agreed criteria related to the 40% representation of women and competence.

A member of the Caucus, Mohamed Alashraf, said that their group presented to the prime minister an initiative to prepare "a reformist vision for the coming period in order to get out of the current political and economic crisis."

Alashraf said that the Caucus briefed the Prime Minister of their reservations about the process of nominating ministers, and called for raising the standards of competence, not partisan loyalty.

Also, Hamdok held a meeting with a delegation from the Sudanese National Party and discussed with them efforts to achieve peace in Sudan and the formation of the new government.

"We want a government in which every Sudanese can see himself," said Hamdok before to stress government’s commitment to work with everyone to achieve a comprehensive peace in the country.

(ST)