Sudan's new ministers take constitutional oath before president

KHARTOUM, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">newly-appointed ministers in Sudan's news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">news.cn/en/tag/i0xgkzg6e6c9c496e3149a/index.html" target="_blank">government on Thursday took the constitutional oath before President Omar al-Bashir.

"We are convinced that this group can lead the country at this phase and bring it out of its crises," said al-Bashir when addressing the news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new ministers after the oath-taking ceremony at the presidential palace.

Mohamed Abu Fatma, the minerals minister, expressed hope that the news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">news.cn/en/tag/i0xgkzg6e6c9c496e3149a/index.html" target="_blank">government would overcome the challenges the country faces.

"We wish success for this news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">news.cn/en/tag/i0xgkzg6e6c9c496e3149a/index.html" target="_blank">government in performing its tasks in the economic, political and social sectors," Fatma told reporters after the ceremony.

He acknowledged that the task would be difficult due to the current economic challenges.

On Wednesday, Al-Bashir issued a republican decree forming a news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">news.cn/en/tag/i0xgkzg6e6c9c496e3149a/index.html" target="_blank">government of 21 federal ministers and 18 state ministers.

Under the decree, six ministers have kept their posts in the news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">news.cn/en/tag/i0xgkzg6e6c9c496e3149a/index.html" target="_blank">government, including Fadul Abdalla Fadul, minister of the presidency, Ahmed Saad Omer, minister of the council of ministers, Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed, minister of foreign affairs, Mohamed Ahmed Salem, minister of justice, Hatim Al-Sir, minister of transport, roads and bridges, and Bahar Idris Abu Garda, minister of labor and administrative reform.

Two ministers in the previous news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">news.cn/en/tag/i0xgkzg6e6c9c496e3149a/index.html" target="_blank">government have shifted to news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new ministries, including former Information Minister Bushara Gumaa Aro, who is now interior minister, and former Minister of Federal news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">news.cn/en/tag/i0xgkzg6e6c9c496e3149a/index.html" target="_blank">government Bureau Hamid Mumtaz, who is now trade minister.

The decree did not include the post of defence minister which is assumed by Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf, who is the Sudanese first vice-president.

Al-Bashir declared a state of emergency on Feb. 22 all over Sudan for one year and dissolved the central and state news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">news.cn/en/tag/i0xgkzg6e6c9c496e3149a/index.html" target="_blank">governments in the wake of popular protests which erupted since last December over the deteriorating economic conditions and price hikes of basic commodities.

On Monday, Sudan's parliament approved the president's declaration of the state of emergency, but reduced it to six months.