Kamil Idris officially assumed office as Sudan’s new prime minister on Saturday, taking the oath in the presence of Sovereignty Council leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Anadolu Agency reports.
Idris’s appointment follows a constitutional decree issued by al-Burhan on May 19, naming him as the country’s new premier. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by senior officials, including the Secretary-General of the Sovereign Council, Lieutenant General Mohamed Al-Ghali Ali Youssef, and the judiciary representative from Red Sea State, standing in for the Chief Justice.
A seasoned politician and international law expert, Idris holds a doctorate from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. He previously ran for president in the 2010 elections and has held multiple roles in international institutions.
His appointment comes as Sudan remains gripped by conflict and political instability. Prior to Idris’s selection, the roles of caretaker prime minister and minister of Cabinet affairs were held by Sudan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dafallah Al-Haj Youssef.
Sudan’s fragile transitional governance structure was formed after the military ousted long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir in April 2019. Al-Burhan later led the creation of the Sovereignty Council, which assumed power in November 2021 following earlier efforts to share rule between civilian and military leaders.
Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has been plunged into a brutal power struggle between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with more than 20,000 confirmed deaths and 15 million people displaced, according to UN and local reports. However, U.S. researchers estimate the actual death toll could be as high as 130,000.