Port Sudan — Yesterday, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, chair of the Sovereignty Council and commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), replaced four ministers of the Sudanese de-facto government, including Foreign Affairs - which reportedly strengthens Sudan's ties with Egypt and China. Two of the newly appointed ministers are eastern Sudanese.
El Burhan appointed Ambassador Ali Yousef as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Omar Banefeer as Minister of Trade and Supply, journalist Khaled Aleiser as Minister of Culture and Information, and Omar Bakheet, a Salafist, as Minister of Religious Affairs and Endowments.
One of the most prominent features of the new ministerial appointments is the response to the demands of eastern Sudanese tribal leaders, as both Banefeer and Bakheet are from the east. It is the first appointment of eastern Sudanese ministers since the joint coup d'état by the SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 25, 2021.
The appointment of Ambassador Yousef further strengthens ties with Egypt and China as he enjoys a close relationship with the two countries. The veteran diplomat, however, has also to deal with the many power centres in Port Sudan.
The replacement of the foreign minister is the third of its kind within 10 months. Ambassador Ali El Sadig, assigned in January, was replaced by Ambassador Hussein Awad in April, who was replaced by Ambassador Yousef yesterday.
Both former ministers have not been able to have the African Union lift its suspension of Sudan's activities regarding the union, or succeed to stop countries supporting the RSF.
According to journalists and observers, Khaled Aleiser, appointed as Minister of Culture and Information, has remained one of the army's most vocal media faces since the outbreak of the war, through his regular hosting on Arab satellite channels.
During the regime of Omar Al Bashir, Aleiser held the position of director of Nilein TV.
The appointment of Omar Banefeer on trade could help implementing the demands of eastern Sudanese community leaders, but could also reduce unrest in the Red Sea harbours.
During the rule of Al Bashir, Banefeer served as director of the General Authority for Investment in the Red Sea, rapporteur of the High Committee for Development in the Red Sea, and director general of the Sea Ports Authority.
Omar Bakheet belongs to the Islamic fundamentalist Salafi movement, and observers do not rule out that his appointment will strengthen SAF relations with the Salafist group led by Abdelhay Yousef - who was accused of funding terrorism by a Sudanese prosecutor in January 2020.
Cautious welcome
Abdallah Obshar, rapporteur of the eastern Sudanese High Council of Beja Nazirs* and Independent Chieftains, considers the assignment of Banfeer and Bakheet "an important step in responding to the demands of the region.
"The decision was met with satisfaction by broad sectors in eastern Sudan," he told Radio Dabanga yesterday.
"At the same time, there are many demands awaiting implementation, including a special negotiating platform for the East, the removal of historical grievances, and a fair distribution of power and wealth," he explained.
The appointment of the two ministers came after repeated demands by political and civil society groups in eastern Sudan. "The absence of representation in executive positions has definitely affected the situation in the region."
Obshar said that "the government has been justifying its failure to appoint officials from eastern Sudan to the Sovereignty Council and ministerial positions in the past two years by referring to the disagreements and tensions between the tribal components of eastern Sudan".
He called these justifications "illogical", as "eastern Sudanese are represented in the transitional government without any objection despite the continuing differences.
"Our issue is not to accommodate or represent people, but to obtain our neglected rights."
Hamrour Hussein, a civil activist in Kassala, downplayed the impact of the decision on the situation in the east. Speaking to Radio Dabanga, he said that "the appointment of the two ministers may represent a moral and psychological victory, but it will not change the reality of the situation at all".
Hamrour explained that "the concerns of the eastern Sudanese are much larger than appointments of eastern Sudanese officials. They demand real development, improvement of the dire economic and living conditions, and addressing the conditions of the displaced.
"At the same time, eastern Sudan is not represented in the Sovereignty Council, and the current representation in the Council of Ministers is not commensurate with the percentage of the population in eastern Sudan."
The activist expressed his concern about "the increase regarding tribal and ethnic background, which leads to demands to appoint people from the region regardless of competence".
Civil society activist Jaafar Khidir from El Gedaref, who was detained by the authorities several times in the past, told Radio Dabanga that the appointment of the two eastern Sudanese "is a positive thing that will end complaints about weak representation, regardless of the qualifications of the ministers in charge".
He called for "fair policies for all Sudanese in all regions, including the many displaced who fled from other areas in the country to search for refuge in the East".
Sheiba Dirar, head of the armed group called the Eastern Sudan Parties and Movements Alliance, at a symposium in Port Sudan on Sunday accused El Burhan of excluding eastern Sudanese from the Sovereignty Council and ministerial positions.
Foreign files
Journalist Taher Moatasem described Ambassador Ali Yousef as a veteran diplomat to Radio Dabanga but warned that "although he will be able to make some changes in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has to deal with the various power centres in Port Sudan".
He pointed to "a state of confusion in diplomatic circles due to the ongoing war and the measures taken by the various power centres.
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"There are unprecedented differences between multiple parties," he said, and referred to contradicting statements of SAF Deputy Commander-in-Chief Yasir El Atta and leaders of Darfur rebel movements.
The new acting foreign minister, who spent more than 40 years in the FA Ministry before retiring in 2013, is over 75 years old and suffers from health problems.
Other retired ambassadors expressed their surprise at his appointment to a ministry that requires constant travelling.
The new minister reportedly has good relations with China, as he served as an ambassador to China and executive director of the Arab Chinese Friendship Association. He also has strong social and political relations with Egypt.
* A nazir is a state-appointed administrative chief of a clan, according to the native administration system in Sudan.
The Native Administration was instituted by British colonial authorities seeking a pragmatic system of governance that allowed for effective control with limited investment and oversight by the state. The system was built on customary governance to resolved local disputes and manage access to natural resources. The state-appointed tribal leaders also took on new responsibilities for executing policies, collecting taxes, and mobilising labour on behalf of the central government.
The regime of dictator Omar Al Bashir (1989-2019) sought to revitalise the Native Administration as a mechanism to expand its network and influence into the rural areas. The native administration leaders appointed by the regime reportedly did not represent the real community leaders.
