Idris Announces “Government of Hope” in Sudan, Commits to Austerity and Integrity

Sudan Events – Agencies
Sudan’s new Prime Minister, Kamal Idris, has announced the structure of the “Government of Hope,” which he is consulting to form, consisting of 22 ministries. A new Authority for Transparency and Integrity will also be established to combat corruption. Idris pledged austerity, justice, tolerance, and the fight against extremism.
Earlier this June, Idris dissolved the caretaker government that had been in place since January 2022, one day after being sworn in as Prime Minister. In the interim, he assigned the secretaries-general and undersecretaries to manage ministerial duties until a new cabinet is formed.
In a televised address on Thursday, Idris outlined the “recurring, long-standing problems” facing the nation, including:
Failure to appoint the right people to the right positions.
Weak governance and leadership.
Neglect of balanced development and equitable distribution of wealth and power.
Corruption
Difficulty accepting others due to political, sectarian, ethnic, religious, or regional divisions.
He stated, “Your upcoming civilian government, the Government of Hope, aims to address these issues through a solid administrative and leadership approach that combines science, professionalism, and sound ethics, along with clear success criteria and performance standards.”
He emphasized that the government’s slogan is “Hope” and its mission is to “achieve security, a decent life, and prosperity for the people.” Its vision is to elevate Sudan to the ranks of advanced nations, guided by core values such as honesty, integrity, transparency, justice, and tolerance.
Idris described the “civilian Government of Hope” as the first in Sudan’s history to combine two ideals: a technocratic government made up of experts serving the people based on merit and technical experience, and a non-partisan composition, free from political affiliations, representing the silent majority.
He stressed that the new government would be modest in its actions, avoid extravagance and waste, and be composed of ministers with knowledge, competence, and experience.
Parallel Governments
Idris emphasized that his government will be made up of independent national professionals, with no political quotas. He pledged honesty, integrity, and justice, aiming to enhance public welfare through executable strategic plans and work programs.
He noted that a long list of councils, authorities, agencies, and commissions currently function as “parallel governments draining public funds.” These will be reviewed for possible dissolution or integration into ministries, retaining only the essential ones, possibly for limited periods after activating their roles.
He called on national experts and professionals, both within Sudan and abroad, to submit their resumes through communication channels to be announced later, to recruit them for leadership positions in developing and rebuilding the civil service.
Mergers and Modifications
Idris outlined the new cabinet structure, reducing the number of ministries from 24 to 22, in compliance with the constitutional document which sets the maximum at 26 ministries.
Key changes include:
Merging the Ministry of Labor and Human Resources with the Ministry of Social Welfare.
Combining the Ministries of Trade and Industry, and Irrigation and Agriculture.
Abolishing the Ministry of Investment and replacing it with a “National Investment Authority.”
Renaming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the “Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.”
Renaming the Ministry of Education to the “Ministry of National Education and Schooling.”
Changing the Ministry of Environment to the “Ministry of Environment and Sustainability.”
Adding Rural Development to the Ministry of Federal Governance.
Separating Economic Planning from the Ministry of Finance and affiliating it with the National Council for Strategic Planning.
The listed ministries are: Defense, Interior, Human Resources and Social Welfare, Digital Transformation and Communications, Animal and Fish Resources, Health, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Culture, Media and Tourism, Energy (excluding oil), and Infrastructure and Transport.
Ministries retained include Youth and Sports, Justice, Cabinet Affairs, and Religious Affairs and Endowments. Idris said the latter will focus on places of worship, promoting religious moderation, fighting extremism, and building bridges of tolerance.
He also announced the creation of a new Authority for Integrity and Transparency with broad legal powers to combat corruption, replacing the previously established Anti-Corruption Commission, which had a law but never functioned.
Vacant Premiership
The Prime Minister’s post had remained vacant for over three years. In January 2022, Sovereignty Council Head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan appointed the Cabinet Secretary-General Osman Hussein as Minister of Cabinet Affairs to act as interim Prime Minister following the resignation of transitional PM Abdalla Hamdok.
In October 2021, al-Burhan declared a state of emergency in Sudan, dissolved both the Sovereignty and Cabinet Councils, and suspended parts of the constitutional document concerning the transitional period and partnership with the Forces of Freedom and Change coalition.
In February, the interim legislative body (Sovereignty Council and Cabinet) ratified amendments to the constitutional document, granting the Sovereignty Council expanded powers, including appointing and dismissing the Prime Minister and state governors.
Source: Al Jazeera