Ambassador Omar Siddiq.. The Appointment of a Minister Has Multiple Angles and Objectives

Report by: Mariam Abshir

On Wednesday, the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, approved the decision issued by the Council of Ministers to appoint Ambassador Omar Mohammed Ahmed Siddiq as Minister of Foreign Affairs. The sovereign decree instructed the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and relevant bodies to implement the decision.

Ambassador Siddiq’s appointment marks the fourth foreign minister since the decisions of October 25, 2021, and the third since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023.

Seniority:
Ambassador Omar Mohammed Ahmed Siddiq, the newly appointed Foreign Minister, along with Ambassador Dafallah Al-Haj Ali — who was appointed Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Acting Prime Minister — are considered among the most senior diplomats in the ministry. They both belong to the 1980 and 1981 diplomatic batches and possess over 40 years of experience in diplomatic service.

Multilateral Expertise:
Ambassador Siddiq has extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy, having worked four times in capitals closely associated with international organizations. He served twice at Sudan’s mission to the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva — first as a diplomat, then as Deputy Head of Mission and Permanent Representative.

Early Career:
Ambassador Siddiq began his diplomatic career in Nairobi, Kenya, in the 1980s. As known, Nairobi is a major regional hub for the United Nations, hosting two or three UN programs and being the only UN headquarters in the southern hemisphere. From the outset of his career, Siddiq was immersed in multilateral diplomacy, especially with international organizations — a field in which he is considered a distinguished expert within the ministry.

Not Arbitrary:
A diplomatic source told Al-Muhaqiq news website that General Al-Burhan’s selection of Ambassador Siddiq was not arbitrary. Rather, it signals Sudan’s active engagement with international organizations, particularly the United Nations, during this critical period in the country’s history.

Key Postings:
Throughout his diplomatic career, Ambassador Siddiq served in Nairobi, Geneva, New York, and as ambassador in Berlin, London, South Africa, New York, and Beijing. He is among the few ambassadors to have led Sudanese missions abroad five times — a significant achievement. His diplomatic work spanned all major continents: Africa (twice), North America, Europe, and Asia.

Within the Ministry:
Inside the Foreign Ministry, Siddiq served in executive offices, the African Affairs Department, International Cooperation and Organizations Department, Peace and Humanitarian Affairs Department, and as Director General of Bilateral and Regional Relations — one of the ministry’s largest departments. He also served as Director General of European and American Affairs. His last post before departing Beijing was Director General of the Political Department at the Transitional Sovereignty Council.

Another Angle:
Well-informed diplomatic sources told Al-Muhaqiq that most of Siddiq’s diplomatic career — serving as both diplomat and ambassador — was associated with the former regime (the National Salvation government). In his final years of service, he was appointed Permanent Representative of Sudan to the United Nations in New York, where he remained even after retirement. He ended his official diplomatic service with a notable social media moment, where he praised Abdalla Hamdok during one of Hamdok’s appearances at the UN General Assembly.

The source added that Siddiq returned — or more accurately, was recalled — to Sudan shortly after his retirement. He was then reappointed as Director of the Political Department at the Presidential Palace. Around the same time, fellow retiree Ambassador Dafallah Al-Haj Ali was also recalled to work on a committee tasked with following up on cooperation with the United Nations.

The source praised the professional competence of the newly appointed foreign minister but noted that he tends to be slow in decision-making.

Source: Al-Muhaqiq News Website