Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has named international legal expert Kamil al-Tayeb Idris as the new prime minister, filling a key leadership vacuum for the first time since January 2022. The announcement comes alongside the appointment of two women—Salma Abdul Jabbar al-Mubarak and Nawara Abu Muhammad Taher—to the transitional Sovereign Council, signaling a reshuffle aimed at broadening representation in the transitional government.
Idris, born in Omdurman, is a prominent Sudanese figure best known for his tenure as Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) from 1997 to 2008. He also served as secretary-general of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), and previously ran for president in Sudan’s 2010 elections.
His appointment follows the resignation of former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok in early 2022 and a prolonged political impasse after the military takeover in October 2021. Since then, Sudan has operated without a confirmed premier, with the Minister of Cabinet Affairs serving in an interim capacity. A recent attempt to install Daffallah al-Haj as acting prime minister failed when he declined the post.
The Sovereign Council cited newly amended constitutional provisions as the legal basis for Idris’s appointment. Under those changes, the Council now has authority to nominate and dismiss prime ministers and extend the transitional period to up to 39 months, starting February 23, 2025, unless national elections or a consensus agreement is reached.
The inclusion of Salma Abdul Jabbar al-Mubarak and Nawara Abu Muhammad on the Sovereign Council also reflects an effort to increase female representation from Eastern and Central Sudan. Salma, daughter of Islamic preacher Abdul Jabbar al-Mubarak, returns to the council after being removed in 2022 amid shifting political alliances. Nawara is a newcomer to the national stage.
This reshuffle comes amid heightened calls for political stability and inclusive governance as Sudan continues to grapple with civil war, regional fragmentation, and humanitarian challenges.