Sudanese Sovereign Council Head, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, issued surprise presidential decrees, under which he dismissed four ministers and appointed replacements, including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Information, just hours before his departure to Cairo to participate in the United Nations’ “World Urban Forum.”

The reshuffle included the appointment of new ministers in the Ministries of Health, Culture, Trade, and Communications, a step Al-Burhan aims to take in order to address the urgent health and economic crises facing the country.

These changes come amid growing political and security tensions in Sudan, following the ousting of former President Omar Al-Bashir in 2019.