| Sudan scraps six ministerial posts to reduce cost |
KHARTOUM/JUBA Sudan on Sunday named six cabinet ministers to posts rejigged under austerity measures, official media said, as the government try to cope with oil revenues lost when South Sudan separated one year ago.
The consolidation and elimination of ministries chops five positions from a cabinet that had 31 members.
Among the measures, the ministry of international cooperation has been axed while the ministry of information has merged with culture, the official Suna news agency said.
Suna did not say how much money the consolidation will save the government.
Ministries responsible for defence and security, which analysts say take up a major portion of the budget, were not named as part of the restructuring.
Last month Bashir fired all of his advisers in another cost-saving move.
Under measures which the government claims will save $1.5 billion, Finance Minister Ali Mahmud Al Rasul also announced in June a phasing out of fuel subsidies, a rise in the value-added tax and other taxes, and a devaluation of the Sudanese pound.
Reducing fuel subsidies led to an immediate jump of about 50 per cent in the pump price of petrol, fuelling inflation which has increased every month and which reached 30.4 per cent in May.
In another development, South Sudanese on Monday put aside dire warnings over the stability and economic viability of their fledgling nation to celebrate its first year of independence.
Celebrations began at midnight as crowds took to the streets of the capital Juba, with people crammed into cars driving around the city and honking horns to mark the first anniversary since separating from Sudan.
“It is a good day because it is the first birthday of my country,” said Rachel Adau, a nurse, who arrived soon after dawn to secure a place at the official ceremony, held at the mausoleum of the late rebel leader John Garang.
“Today is the day we celebrate when the people came out from the Arabs and liberated themselves,” said Michael Kenyi Benjamin, a student, as a dancing man dressed as a white dove of peace raised cheers from the flag-waving crowd.
Grossly impoverished South Sudan has spent the past year wracked by border wars with the rump state of Sudan, as well as internal violence and the shutdown of its vital oil production in a bitter dispute with Khartoum.
Vice-President Riek Machar has admitted to failing to meet his people’s expectations because of “the unforeseen difficulties we got ourselves into.”
The early euphoria of independence on July 9, 2011, has since given way to a harsh reality.
Meanwhile, South Sudanese in Sudan quietly marked the first anniversary of a homeland they long to return to, as political tensions and lack of money delay their journey.
Tens of thousands are living, unemployed, in crude shelters at unsanitary transit camps around the Sudanese capital where they wait for transport to the South. “We are not celebrating,” one South Sudanese said. “It is very sensitive.”
Those who remain face uncertainty after the April 8 expiry of a deadline to either formalise their status or leave the country.
Agencies
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