John AdoyiKamil Idris on Saturday took the oath as Sudan’s new prime minister as the country continues to grapple with a civil conflict that has claimed over 150,000 lives.
According to Sudanese News Agency (SUNA), Idris took the oath of office in front of al-Burhan, head of the country’s ruling Transitional Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces, accompanied by the Secretary-General of the Sovereign Council, Lieutenant General Mohamed Al-Ghali Ali Youssef, and the head of the judiciary in the Red Sea State, who represented the Chief Justice.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe swearing-in ceremony comes more than two weeks after Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Burhan appointed Kamil Idris, a former UN official and ex-presidential candidate, as prime minister of Sudan’s military-led government on Monday May 19.
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Following the ceremony, al-Burhan and other council members met with Idris to discuss critical government priorities, including stabilising the economy, protecting civilian livelihoods, and restoring order across the country’s war-ravaged states.
The appointment has garnered support from international bodies, with the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, taking note of the appointment of Dr. Kamil al-Tayeb Idris as Prime Minister. The African Union and other international organisations have also welcomed the decision.
Idris assumes leadership as Sudan faces its worst humanitarian crisis in decades. The two-year conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated the country, with recent UN estimates placing the death toll at more than 150,000 people. The war has displaced millions and left the nation’s infrastructure in ruins.
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Adding to the humanitarian catastrophe, a severe cholera outbreak has claimed at least 172 lives and infected over 2,500 people in just one week, primarily affecting the capital Khartoum and nearby Omdurman. Health authorities attribute the rapid spread to the collapse of Sudan’s health infrastructure, where 80% of hospitals are non-operational, combined with the return of displaced populations to areas lacking adequate water and sanitation facilities.
New Prime Minister’s Background
Kamil Eltayeb Idris, who was born on 26 August 1954 is a Sudanese statesman, scholar, international civil servant and politician.
He was Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation and previously served as Secretary-General of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.
Idris, who holds a PhD in international law from the Graduate Institute of International Studies at the University of Geneva in Switzerland, was also a presidential candidate in the 2010 election. He replaces former acting Prime Minister Dafallah Al-Haj Youssef.
In his inaugural address, Idris pledged to do everything possible to protect civilians and restore peace to Sudan’s citizens.
His appointment signals a potential shift in the governing approach of Sudan’s military leadership as the country seeks to navigate through its ongoing crisis.
The new prime minister faces the monumental task of addressing the humanitarian emergency while working toward political stability in a nation where millions remain displaced, basic services have collapsed, and international aid efforts continue to face significant challenges due to the ongoing conflict.
