KHARTOUM (Halbeeg News) – Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir on Sunday dissolved the government, named a new prime minister and reduced the number of ministries from 21 to 31.
Bashir named Motazz Moussa as the country’s prime minister, replacing Bakri Hassan Saleh, who was appointed in 2017, as the country’s first prime minister since Bashir came to power in 1989.
“President Omar Al-Bashir has informed that he will sack the government at all levels, the prime minister, federal ministers and ministers of state in order to fix the situation facing the country,” the statement said, adding that “he will form a new government that can once again bring hope to the Sudanese people.”
The leadership council of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) later convened and agreed to promote the minister of Electricity and Water Resources Moatez Mousa to the position of Prime Minister.
The council also decided that the roles of Vice President and Prime Minister will be separated and that ten cabinet positions will be eliminated.
The move comes as Sudan faces a growing economic crisis, with inflation surging to more than 65 percent.
Sudan’s central bank has twice devalued the pound this year. As a result, it has become more difficult to import essential supplies such as wheat.
The US dollar exchange rate has recently risen from an official rate of about 30 Sudanese pounds to about 47 Sudanese pounds on the black market
The cost of food items and other products has more than doubled over the past year, while the foreign currency market has seen the Sudanese pound plunge against the US dollar.
In January, a doubling of the price of bread triggered demonstrations after government’s decision to cut subsidies and stop importing wheat from overseas.
Sudan’s economy has been struggling since South Sudan gained independence in 2011, taking with it three-quarters of oil output and depriving Khartoum of a crucial source of foreign currency.
Halbeeg News and Agencies
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