Sudan opposition picks economist as first post-Bashir Prime Minister

Sudan’s main opposition alliance will nominate economist Abdalla Hamdok to serve as prime minister in the country’s transitional government, sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Sudan’s sovereign council, which will be sworn in on Monday, will appoint the prime minister based on the nomination from the opposition alliance, the Forces of Freedom and Change, according to a constitutional declaration agreed on earlier this month.

The opposition alliance will also nominate Mohamed Alhafiz Mahmoud as public prosecutor, sources said, and Abdelqadir Mohamed Ahmed as head of the judiciary.

Hamdock has held several leadership posts within Sudan and Africa.

His nomination is the first step in the implementation of a power-sharing deal between the opposition and the ruling military council scheduled to be signed on Sunday.

The Sovereign Council will be formed on August 18 and Hamdok’s appointment will be made official on the 20th. He is expected to appoint his cabinet the week afterwards.