Four Questions Clarify the Main Obstacles to Forming a Government in Sudan

Report by: Fath Al-Rahman Shabaraqa

Politicians and analysts—speaking to Al Jazeera Net—have attributed the difficulty in forming a government in Sudan to hidden disagreements and increasing pressure from armed movements allied with the Sudanese army, as well as from senior military leaders, all pushing to appoint specific individuals as ministers in the upcoming government.

Uncertainty surrounds the fate of the new government in Sudan, more than a month after Kamil Idris was appointed Prime Minister on May 19, without a set timeframe for its announcement. However, sources close to the Prime Minister confirmed to Al Jazeera Net that the process is at an advanced stage, and they expect the Prime Minister to begin announcing it soon.

Motasim Saleh, the Political Secretary of the Justice and Equality Movement—which shares power under the Juba Agreement—told Al Jazeera Net that one of the main obstacles to forming the government is the absence of a clear and transparent mechanism for selecting ministers. This is especially concerning since the Prime Minister has expressed a desire to form a technocratic government without effective involvement or consultation with political and societal forces that support state institutions.

Al Jazeera Net presents below a series of questions and answers that clarify the challenges facing the formation of Sudan’s government:

What are the obstacles to forming the government in Sudan?

The Political Secretary of the Justice and Equality Movement noted that the Prime Minister’s approach weakens the foundation for national consensus and fuels suspicion and mistrust among political actors, hindering the creation of a stable political base to support the government’s work.

Former Secretary-General of the Sudanese Council of Ministers, Dr. Omar Mohammed Saleh, told Al Jazeera Net that the selection of ministers to implement the government’s program is the cornerstone of successful execution. Therefore, the insistence by parties to the Juba Agreement on retaining key ministries—such as Finance, Mining, and Social Welfare—without clear justification is a major stumbling block.

He added that there is still hope that decision-makers in the Sovereign Council, armed movements, and the Prime Minister will meet urgently to resolve this crisis and its consequences, especially since the war is still raging and unity is needed to defeat the rebellion first.

How do disputes with the Juba Agreement signatory movements affect government formation?

Political analyst Othman Mirghani told Al Jazeera Net that several factors are behind the delay in announcing the cabinet:

1. Initial consultations on redefining ministries and efforts to reduce their number without eliminating their functions—this phase concluded with the Prime Minister’s speech announcing 22 ministries.

2. Appointing ministers requires consultation with multiple entities: the military component (for naming the Ministers of Interior and Defense), the “Peace Group” (Juba Agreement signatories) to nominate five ministers, and bilateral talks with candidates.

Observers believe that disagreements with the armed movements are among the main reasons preventing the formation of the new government. These groups are not only clinging to their share of resources as outlined in the Juba Agreement but are also insisting on retaining the same ministries—and possibly the same ministers—through political and media pressure.

In this context, Motasim Saleh stated that some political and social forces are making extraordinary efforts through the media—what he called “yellow pens”—to bypass or marginalize the Juba Agreement, which unnecessarily raises tensions.

He added that the signatory parties to the peace process are not an obstacle to forming the government. The agreement clearly defines their share of power, and all transitional period stakeholders had agreed beforehand on the number, nature, and importance of ministries allocated to them.

Mirghani noted that the “Peace Group”—referring to the Juba Agreement movements—has the political capacity for flexible negotiation. While they may prefer to retain their previous ministerial positions, this is subject to negotiation with the Prime Minister.

What role do Islamists play in delaying the formation of the government?

Some analysts point to behind-the-scenes interference by Islamists in the formation process, especially after they returned to the spotlight for their significant support of the army in its war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). However, Islamists under various banners continue to affirm that they are not seeking to participate in power or demand positions in exchange for their defense of the country.

Othman Mirghani said that Islamists are currently outside the core of this crisis and are best described as “cautious observers.” They were not enthusiastic about Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s appointment of Kamil Idris as Prime Minister but did not oppose it. Their position has since evolved to support him politically, as Kamil is an independent figure who avoids confrontations with any party.

Motasim Saleh, meanwhile, noted that there are regional and international entities that are wary of Islamist participation for fear of their return to power. Some domestic groups also oppose their presence in government. “Nevertheless,” he said, “I do not see this rejection or suspicion as affecting the delay in forming a government, especially since the Prime Minister has already announced it will be formed from technocrats.”

What is preventing the formation of the new government?

Political analyst and former media secretary of the National Congress Party, Ibrahim al-Siddiq, said that the government is intended to be a technocratic one with no political affiliations, so talk about political actors is inaccurate.

He believes the more accurate reason for the delay is the Prime Minister’s lack of political experience and his inner circle’s inability to persuade peace partners about their allocated roles. He suggested that unresolved issues could have been postponed to a later stage.

However, Othman Mirghani emphasized that the real issue has never been the peace groups’ agreement but rather certain parties’ desire to exploit the situation to limit the Prime Minister’s ability to form his government independently.

Mirghani—who is described by some media outlets as close to the Prime Minister—stated there are no longer any real barriers to forming the government. He told Al Jazeera Net: “The cabinet lineup is nearly complete. I expect the Prime Minister to start announcing it soon, and the real test will be in the policies and plans it proposes.”

Source: Al Jazeera