Delay in Forming the Government.. Impact on the Momentum of Sudan’s Economy
Sudanhorizon – Nazik Shamam
On the first of June, Sudanese Prime Minister Dr. Kamal Idris announced the dissolution of the government and assigned secretaries-general and undersecretaries of ministries to handle affairs until a new government is formed.
Since then, Sudan has been experiencing a state of executive vacuum under extremely complex security conditions, further deteriorating the economic and social situation.
Since his swearing-in, the Sudanese Prime Minister has begun consultations to form the government. However, disputes have started to surface, causing delays in the government’s formation.
Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, stated during his address at the Fourth Conference on Development Financing in Spain that Sudan had made significant progress on its path to civilian stability by appointing a civilian Prime Minister for the transitional civilian government.
He added that this appointment reflects Sudan’s firm will to complete state institutions and strengthen the democratic civilian transition in preparation for building a better future for the people.
Start of Formation
As a start to forming the government, Idris issued a decision last week appointing General Hassan Dawood Kabroon Kayan as Minister of Defense. The same decree also appointed Police General Babiker Samra Mustafa Ali as Minister of Interior. Nevertheless, the ongoing executive vacuum in the country is disrupting workflow and significantly impacting the momentum of the national economy.
Issuing of Approvals
The effects of this vacuum have surfaced clearly through the absence of certain services provided to the economic sector, with a clear lack of organized procedures and arrangements in several sectors.
A businessman — who preferred to remain anonymous — confirmed the disruption of operations at the Ministry of Investment and the suspension of approvals for investment projects.
He told Sudanhorizon that the Ministry of Investment had stopped issuing project approvals due to the absence of a minister in recent weeks.
He explained that the ministry did not delegate anyone else to sign off on the approvals, in addition to technical problems in the ministry’s financial system.
He revealed that the ministry began, just the day before yesterday, issuing some old approvals, noting that the delay in forming the government would create confusion and procedural delays, negatively affecting the investment climate — which is already suffering due to the war.
Economic Repercussions
On his part, economic affairs journalist Sanhouri Issa believes that the delay in forming the government has several economic repercussions, including the securing of supplies and services, and ensuring strategic stockpiles of essential goods, especially in states affected negatively by the rainy season due to road blockages, increased transportation costs, speculative pricing, and overpricing by traders. It also impacts the supply of goods and logistics to the armed forces ahead of the rainy season.
Issa told Sudanhorizon that the delay would also affect preparations for the new agricultural season, adding that agriculture depends on precise timing.
He explained that “the time for planting in both rain-fed and irrigated sectors has arrived, and the needs of the agricultural season must be secured early to ensure its success.”
Loss of Resources
He pointed out that disruption in the functioning of the state apparatus has directly impacted revenue collection — particularly those on which the national budget depends — such as customs duties, taxes, and service fees imposed by ministries like Health, Education, Higher Education, Agriculture, Trade, Animal Resources, Industry, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Minerals, Ports, and other revenue-generating institutions. Import and export activity has also been affected, which in turn hampers reconstruction efforts in areas of voluntary return.
Sanhouri Issa also highlighted the impact of resource loss through smuggling — especially of gold, livestock, agricultural products like gum arabic, minerals, and camels — as well as the psychological toll on citizens who had pinned hopes on the new government, which is facing a difficult birth and disputes over positions.
Wide Divergence
In turn, economic expert and political analyst Dr. Mohamed Tourshin says that the delay in forming the government is extremely complicated and that there may be a wide divergence in views among the parties expected to participate in the government — particularly the armed movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement.
Tourshin told Sudanhorizon news website that this divergence “has contributed to the complexity of speeding up the formation of the government, and this will negatively affect the government’s future performance.”
He pointed out that this issue could result in a government that lacks coherence and alignment with the plan announced by the Prime Minister, making success nearly impossible.
He explained that optimism regarding the future performance of a government led by Kamal Idris may be far from reality, as this is now clearly evident through diverging views and the delay in forming the government.
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