A picture released by Sudan’s Presidential Palace shows Burhan (right) at the swearing in ceremony. — AFP photo
KHARTOUM: Sudan was taking further steps in its transition towards civilian rule yesterday with the swearing in of a new sovereign council and the appointment of a prime minister.
The body replaces the Transitional Military Council (TMC) that took charge after months of deadly street protests brought down longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in April.
The first steps of the transition after the mass celebrations that marked the Aug 17 adoption of a transitional constitution proved difficult however.
The names of the joint civilian-military sovereign council’s 11 members were eventually announced late Tuesday after differences within the opposition camp held up the process for two days.
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who already headed the TMC, was sworn in as the chairman of the new sovereign council shortly after 11.00 am state news agency SUNA reported.
He will be Sudan’s head of state for the first 21 months of the 39-month transition period, until a civilian takes over for the remainder. The council’s 10 other members are expected to be sworn in later Wednesday and Abdalla Hamdok, who was chosen by the opposition last week to be prime minister, is also due to take office.
The sovereign council includes two women, including a member of Sudan’s Christian minority, and it will oversee the formation of a government and of a legislative body.
The transition’s key documents were signed on Saturday at a ceremony attended by a host of foreign dignitaries, signalling that Sudan could be on its way to shedding its pariah status.
Sudan’s new rulers are expected to push for the lifting of the suspension from the African Union that followed a deadly crackdown on a sit-in in June.
The ruling council will also seek to have the country removed from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.— AFP