First national unity government in Sudan

The leading council of the ruling National Congress Party in Sudan has announced the completion of the formation of the national unity government which is shared by the Sudan People's Liberation movement (SPLM) for the with the National Democratic Alliance (Muhammad Othman al-Meirghani, chairman) and certain other political forces.

This came after reaching a settlement over the differences that erupted between the National Congress Party and the SPLM on the seat of the ministry of energy, and this was resolved by giving the SPLM the post of the Minister Of State at the said ministry, which was led by Ahmad al-Jaz for the ruling party.

In a statement before announcing the formation, the Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said that the "government expresses the desire of the people of Sudan to establish peace and enhance national unity." Bashir stressed that the vast political consultations the National Congress Party and the SPLM made resulted in accepting vast political forces to take part in the government, including the democratic coalition (National Democratic Alliance), the Muslim Brothers group, certain small parties as well as other three small parties split off from the Umma (led by al-Sadeq al-Mahdi).

This government excludes three main forces in Sudan: the Umma Party, the Communist Party and the People's Congress (Popular National Congress, led by Hassan al-Turabi)

Deputy chairman of the National Congress Party, Ali Nafe, said that the party will get 16 out of 30 ministers of the government. Nafe assumed the post of the assistant for the President of the Republic.

News reports in Khartoum reported the regret felt by the SPLM leaderships over that the National Congress Party quickly announcing its ministers in the government and described this step as a measure which was hasty and its timing inappropriate. The SPLM held an urgent meeting to announce the distribution of its ministerial posts.

Sudan | Politics | |