Sudan’s President Omar Bashir on Monday relieved all his advisers of their duties as part of austerity measures his government is currently applying to cut down public expenditure.
Khartoum is also lifting subsidies on such basic commodities as fuel, saying the move is informed by the economic crisis brought by dwindling income as a result of loss of oil revenues and civil unrests in some of its regions.
The official Sudanese news agency said President Bashir has issued a Republican Decree relieving his nine presidential advisers of their positions.
The president is also trimming government at both national and regional levels, relieving ministers and advisors of their positions, in what observers believe would make up for the oil income lost as a result of South Sudan’s secession as well as stoppage of oil export. South Sudan recently shut off oil export because of differences with Khartoum.
A major reshuffle is expected to be announced in the coming hours, according to a statement attributed to First Vice President Ali Osman Taha.
Lifting of oil subsidies will affect transport fares.
Students in Khartoum State have been protesting the economic measures but Khartoum state commissioner, Omar Ibrahim Nimir, has argued that elements and individuals from some neighboring countries he did not name were involved in recent riots that erupted in the state during few past days.
The stoppage of oil export has hurt both the Sudan and south Sudan, the later losing 98 per cent of its income.
The two sides are currently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, negotiating ways to end hostilities and ways to resume oil export from the south via the Sudan.
