Sudan’s new ministers take oath

The newly-appointed ministers in Sudan’s new government on Thursday took the constitutional oath before President Omar al-Bashir.

“We are convinced that this group can lead the country at this phase and bring it out of its crises,” said Mr al-Bashir.

Al-Bashir said this when addressing the new ministers after the oath-taking ceremony at the presidential palace.

Mohamed Fatma, the Minerals Minister, expressed hope that the new government would overcome the challenges facing the country.

“We wish success for this new government in performing its tasks in the economic, political and social sectors,” Mr Fatma said after the ceremony.

He acknowledged that the task would be difficult due to the current economic challenges.

On Wednesday, Al-Bashir had issued a republican decree forming a new government of 21 federal ministers and 18 state ministers.

Under the decree, six ministers have kept their posts in the new government, including Minister of the Presidency, Fadul Abdalla and Minister of the Council of Ministers, Ahmed Omer;

Others are Minister of Foreign Affairs, Al-Dirdiri Ahmed; Minister of Justice, Mohamed Salem; Minister of Transport, Roads and Bridges, Hatim Al-Sir and Minister of Labour and Administrative Reform, Bahar Abu-Garda.

Two ministers in the previous government have shifted to new ministries, including former Information Minister Bushara Aro, who is now interior minister, and former Minister of Federal Government Bureau, Hamid Mumtaz, is now trade minister.

The decree did not include the post of defence minister which is assumed by Awad Ibn-Auf, who is the Sudanese first vice-president.

Mr Al-Bashir declared a state of emergency on February 22 all over Sudan for one year and dissolved the central and state governments in the wake of popular protests which erupted since last December over the deteriorating economic conditions and price hikes of basic commodities.

On Monday, Sudan’s parliament approved the president’s declaration of the state of emergency, but reduced it to six months.

(Xinhua/NAN)