Sudan’s army chief appoints ex-UN diplomat Kamil Idris as Prime Minister

Appointment by military-led government comes after army recaptured Khartoum and signals potential shift in governing of Sudan

Kamil Idris ran as an independent candidate for the Sudanese presidency in 2010. Reuters

Sudan’s army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan has appointed Kamil Idris, a former UN official and prominent diplomat, as the new Prime Minister of the country’s military-dominated government.

Mr Idris will be the first prime minister in Sudan since the resignation of Abdalla Hamdok in the wake of a military coup in October 2021, which ousted the civilian-led government and derailed the nation’s transition to democracy.

The appointment follows significant battlefield gains by the Sudanese army this year, including retaking the capital city Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in March.

The RSF, which teamed up with the army in the 2021 coup, turned against its former ally in April 2023, sparking a devastating war in which thousands have been killed and millions displaced.

Mr Idris, a respected figure in international circles, comes from the Nubian community in northern Sudan. He has an extensive academic and professional background, describing himself on social media as a "statesman, scholar and international civil servant".

He served as director general of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, a UN agency, from 1997 to 2008. His term ended a year early when he resigned over claims he signed documents with a false date of birth. In 2010, he ran as an independent candidate in an election won by long-serving president Omar Al Bashir.

Mr Idris holds degrees in philosophy from Cairo University and in law from the University of Khartoum, and a doctorate in international law from the University of Geneva. He served as a diplomat in Sudan’s foreign service, rising to the rank of ambassador, and was twice a member of the UN International Law Commission. He says he speaks English, Arabic, French and Spanish.

Sudan's army is looking to consolidate power amid prolonged fighting with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. AFP

Consolidating power

The appointment comes as part of an effort by Gen Al Burhan to bolster the credibility of Sudan’s military-led government domestically and internationally. The army says it hopes to consolidate power and push forward a transition to a civilian-led government.

As well as naming Mr Idris as Prime Minister, Gen Al Burhan reappointed Salma Abdel Jabbar Almubarak and added Nowara Abo Mohamed Mohamed Tahir to the ruling sovereign council, signalling a broader reshuffle of Sudan’s transitional governing structure.

While installing Mr Idris as Prime Minister is a significant step, questions remain about the extent of his authority within a government dominated by the military. The army continues to face resistance from the RSF, which has launched drone attacks on Port Sudan and other Sudanese cities in recent weeks.

However, the army’s control over Khartoum and other key regions has allowed Gen Al Burhan to strengthen his grip on power and signal a shift towards a new phase of governing.

The war between the army and the RSF broke out after disagreements over integrating their forces as part of the democratic transition after the downfall of Al Bashir in 2019.

The conflict has devastated Sudan and led to one of the world’s largest and most serious humanitarian crises.