Sudan replaces finance, foreign and energy ministers in reshuffle after protests
Sudan's prime minister replaced the country's energy, finance, foreign and health ministers as part of a cabinet reshuffle, the government announced on Thursday.
Three other senior cabinet members were removed from their posts.
Plans for a cabinet reshuffle had been in the works for some time, according to observers. Many were surprised by the decision to remove the country's finance minister, Ibrahim Badawi.
Badawi played a central role in liaising with foreign partners and steering Sudan's fragile economy following the removal of former President Omar al-Bashir last year.
The government said Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok dismissed the health minister and accepted the resignation of other ministers.
Hamdok leads a government of technocrats as part of a 39-month power-sharing agreement between civilian groups and the military that emerged after Bashir was toppled by a protest movement.
Badawi's replacement will be Heba Ahmed Ali, a senior finance ministry official, the government said.
This reshuffle comes after more than a week of street protests demanding faster reforms from the transitional government.
Before the protests, Hamdok vowed to introduce a series of reforms. Earlier this week, he fired Sudan's police chief, who was accused of being close to Bashir's government.
