Sudan

Official name: 
Republic of Sudan
Name in local language: 
جمهورية السودان transliterated as al-Jumhuriyatu as-Sudan
Form of government: 
Republic
Political system: 
Presidential
  • Founding date/ Date of independence:  1956, from the United Kingdom. Secession of Southern Sudan was effective on July 9th 2012, after the referendum held on January 9th of the same year.
  • Date of constitution/reform: Interim Constitution approved on January 9th 2005.
  • Form of state: Federal
  • Administrative divisions:  18 states (wilayat)
  • Official language(s): Arabic and English
  • Other spoken languages:  Nubian, Fur and Bedawiya
  • Official religion:  Multi-confessional
  • Minorities: Fur / Beja / Nuba / Fallata / Sudanese Arab / Baggara / Zaghawa / Misseriya / Beja / Rashaida / Dinka / Hausa / Ja’alin / Shukria / Qahtana / Nubian / Bani Hassan / Bani Arak / Copts
  • Dominant actor(s): The Presidency, below which are the National Congress Party (NCP) and the armed forces.
  • Elected institutions of government: Presidency, bi-cameral parliament (Lower House appointed, Upper House indirectly elected), State Governors and State Parliaments.
  • Non-elected  institutions of government: N/A
  • Party system:  Hegemonic party system. The NCP is the ruling party. 2010 elections were the first since 1986 to be organized throughout the country having all political parties participating.

Current authorities

  • Head of state: The Sovereignty Council of Sudan (interim). Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bachir was ousted in April 2019 coup d'état. Bachir was re-elected in April 2010, in power since 1989 following a coup d'Etat; proclaimed himself President on 16 October 1993. Also served as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and General Secretary of the National Congress Party. Currently a 5-person body, the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, exerts as head of State for a transitional period of 33 months, ending in 2022.
  • Head of government: Sovereignty Council of Sudan (interim).
  • Minister of Foreign Affairs: Ibrahim Ghandour.
  • Minister of Interior: Hamid Manan Al Mirghani. 
  • Head(s) of Legislative Branch: Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim El Tahir (People Assembly)
  • Composition of the legislative branch: Link to diagram in PDF
  • Head of the Judiciary: Mr. Jalal al-Din Mohammed Osman, president of the Supreme Court.
  • Schematic representation of the political system: Link to graph in PDF

Links