Hamdock to remain Sudan’s Prime Minister for the next 39 months

Dec 4, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — Sudan’s opposition leaders on Wednesday gave the Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdock a go-ahead to continue serving in his office until the end of the transition period.

In an extraordinary meeting in Khartoum, members of the opposition coalition said Hamdok should continue to be prime minister during the next 39 months of the transitional period.

Hamdok is tasked with moving Sudan forward to achieve comprehensive peace, economic reform and a sustainable democratic transformation. 

He is expected to increase the size of the Sovereignty Council from 20 to 26 ministers to include members of the Sudan Revolutionary Front, a coalition of rebel groups that signed a peace agreement with the government. 

Hassan Haj Ali, a political science lecturer at Khartoum University, said the opposition move to keep the Prime Minister will give them ample time to deal with internal squabbles.

“It is better for them to keep Hamdok, although there are so many criticisms against him than to get into another dispute over who will succeed him. So this is a kind of freezing dispute over the replacement of Hamdok, then a vote of confidence in his abilities or his performance,” said Ali. 

The Political Science lecturer added that Hamdock has put efforts towards achieving peace in Sudan.

“This is an important contribution to the Juba peace agreement, although it is not comprehensive, at least it is a big step toward achieving a complete peace in the county. And the way he managed the relationship with the military component also is another credit,” Ali added.

He pointed out that Hamdok has also been a key player in reforming Sudan’s laws that move the country closer to becoming a democracy. 

According to Ali, the government needs to work on improving the economy.

“We need new programs, new directions for the government to tackle how to increase the production in the country, and how to enhance the capabilities of the Sudanese people in order to increase the export of the country. But the expansion is mainly a political move in order to accommodate the government,” Ali said. 

The transitional period was renewed for 39 months beginning October 3, in accordance with the peace deal signed in Juba, South Sudan.