Sudan cabinet meets in Khartoum, charts path for recovery and reconciliation

The Sudanese cabinet has pledged to focus on reconstruction, reconciliation and economic recovery as it convened its first meeting in Khartoum since the outbreak of war in April 2023.

The session, chaired by transitional Prime Minister Kamal Idris on Tuesday, brought together all 22 ministers at the Khartoum state government headquarters, marking what officials described as “a symbolic step toward the return of state institutions to the capital.”

The cabinet had been operating from Port Sudan after being forced to relocate when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized most of Khartoum at the start of the conflict.

The government now plans to resume full operations in the capital by October, two months after the army declared it had recaptured the city.

Speaking after the meeting, Idris said the session reviewed ministry plans for the rest of the year, with the cabinet prioritising reconstruction, improved service delivery, security, and economic revitalisation.

“We reviewed ministry plans through the end of the year, with a focus on reconstruction, economic recovery, service delivery and strengthening the productive sectors,” he said.

The prime minister also launched a national cleanup campaign across Khartoum, calling on citizens, public institutions and private organisations to join in the effort.

State media reported that the cabinet highlighted urgent measures to restore water, electricity and health services while rebuilding damaged infrastructure.

Idris further announced plans for a “comprehensive Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue” intended to bring together all groups to foster reconciliation, peace and better international relations.

As part of the meeting, copies of his book Sudan 2025: Assessing the Path and the Dream of the Future were distributed to cabinet members.

The meeting followed the recent swearing-in of new ministers for health and livestock, with the foreign affairs post still vacant.

Idris himself was sworn in as transitional prime minister on May 31 before Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Khartoum has been at the centre of the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023 over disagreements between al-Burhan and RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo about the force’s integration into the army and the transition to civilian rule.

At the height of the fighting, the RSF controlled most of the capital while the army held bases in Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman.

The military has since reclaimed the city and reported further gains in areas including White Nile state.

The conflict has devastated Sudan, with United Nations estimates showing that more than 20,000 people have been killed and around 15 million displaced inside the country and across borders.