Sudan's Vice President resigns

Sudan’s state media has reported the resignation of the country’s First Vice President, Ali Osman Taha. The announcement comes amid reports that President Omar Hassan Al Bashir is now preparing to form a new government.

According to local reports, the regime’s old guard would not be included in the new cabinet. Those most notably to be left out are: the speaker of Parliament, Ahmed Ibrahim al-Tahir; Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Hussein; Interior Minister Ibrahim Mahmoud; Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Karti and Oil Minister Awad Al Jaz. All have been in power for 24 years.

Meanwhile, Ali Osman Taha said in a statement that he had left office in response to Al Bashir’s proposal for a comprehensive change in leadership. Taha denied earlier reports claiming that his departure has sparked dispute among the government’s leaders. Taha told local newspapers, “There are no differences or conflicts neither between me and the President nor among the Party leaders”.

Taha said, “We are all committed to the party leadership’s decision on the need to make inclusive changes in the government”.