Adam Youssef appointed vice president

Opposition groups denounce move made by the government

The armed movements in Darfur described the appointment of Haj Adam Youssef to the office of vice president of Sudan on Tuesday as a symbolic gesture by president Omar Al Bashir.Adam Youssef is an Arab Darfuri who joined the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) a few years ago. “There is no conflict between the NCP and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) on this matter,” he said about his appointment.

He also raised a cry for all parties involved to lay down arms and engage in peaceful measures to end strife in the country.

JEM: Situation will worsen

Rebel groups, however, have suggested that his appointment to the post of vice president does not make a difference to the crisis in Darfur, in fact, what it does is add fuel to the fire.

The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)’s spokesperson Jibril Adam Bilal said that the appointment of Adam Youssef only reproduces the crisis in Darfur: “The problem of Sudan lies in Darfur and it has to be addressed.”

SLM-AW: Provocative move

The Abdul Wahid faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) called the new appointment as a provocative move by the NCP. “It emphasizes the power of the minority in the parliament and one-party politics dominating the country,” the spokesperson Nimr Abdel Rahman told Radio Dabanga.

He also added that the solution to the Darfuri crisis doesn’t rest on whether the vice president is from Darfur or South Kordofan or Blue Nile, but it lies in how Sudan is governed on the whole.

LJM welcomes move

The LJM expectedly welcomed Adam Youssef’s appointment as vice president because the decision was in line with the implementation of the Doha peace process. 

However, Ahmed Fadel, the spokesperson of the movement, called the appointment as a procedural error. “Actually the appointment of the vice president must take place after consulation with the transitional council. There has been no consultation in this matter,” he said.

Despite that, Fadel said that the latest development is meant for the gain of the people of Darfur and a practical step towards the implementation of the Doha peace agreement on the ground.