Sudan appoints Mustafa Youssef as finance minister

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has appointed Mustafa Youssef to replace Moatazz Moussa as finance minister, a presidential statement said on Sunday.

Bashir, facing the country’s biggest protests since he came to power 30 years ago, dissolved the central and state governments late on Friday but left the defense, foreign and justice ministers in place.

Moussa had been both prime minister and finance minister, but has now lost both positions within two days. Bashir on Saturday appointed Mohamed Tahir Ayala as prime minister. Ayala, the governor of Gezira state, has been touted by Bashir as a potential successor as president.

Defence Minister Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf, an ex-military intelligence chief, became first vice president, while retaining his defense portfolio.

Bashir had declared a one-year nationwide state of emergency on Friday and replaced all state governors with military officials.

He also called on parliament to postpone constitutional amendments that would allow him to seek another term in a 2020 presidential election.