Sudan's Irrigation Minister Appointed Prime Minister Amid Gov't Reform - Presidential Aide

KHARTOUM (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2018) Sudanese President Omar Bashir has appointed Minister of Water Resources, Irrigation and Electricity Motaz Musa Abd Allah Salim as the country's prime minister after dissolving the government amid an acute economic situation in the country, Bashir's aide Faisal Hassan Ibrahim Ali said.

The 31-strong cabinet of former Prime Minister Bakri Hassan Saleh, who is also the first vice president, was dissolved on Sunday. Bashir also ordered the number of ministries to be reduced to 21.

While Saleh kept his position in the presidential administration, Mohamed Osman Yousif Kiber was appointed the second vice president.

The prime minister and both vice presidents will be sworn in later on Monday, according to Ibrahim.

Defense Minister Awad Mohamed Ahmed Bin Auf, Foreign Minister Al-Dirdiri Mohammed Ahmed Al-Dikheiri and Presidential Affairs Minister Fadul Abd Allah Fadul Bahar would retain their positions in the new cabinet, Ibrahim pointed out.

The presidential aide noted that some ministries would be merged together, while others would be scrapped. Moreover, other governmental agencies would be reformed, Ibrahim added.

In May, the Sudanese government was reshuffled.

The changes in the cabinet come amid an acute economic downturn and Currency crisis that have led to the inflation rate of over 60 percent.