Members of Sudanese ‘Sovereign Council’

  Sudanese civilians wave their national flags during celebrations of the signing of Sudan's power-sharing deal in Khartoum, Sudan, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Sudanese civilians wave their national flags during celebrations of the signing of Sudan's power-sharing deal in Khartoum, Sudan, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
TT

Members of Sudanese ‘Sovereign Council’

  Sudanese civilians wave their national flags during celebrations of the signing of Sudan's power-sharing deal in Khartoum, Sudan, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Sudanese civilians wave their national flags during celebrations of the signing of Sudan's power-sharing deal in Khartoum, Sudan, August 17, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

After a 12-hour meeting and under increasing popular pressures, leaders of the Forces of the Freedom and Change (FFC) agreed on the six candidates list at the sovereignty council. The council would run the country during the transitional phase of three years and three months.

Muhammad Hassan Taayashi, residing in the UK and candidate of Sudanese Professionals Association, returned to the candidates’ list at the council after he was dismissed earlier – his dismissal sparked a debate over social media.

He was joined by Prof. Siddique Taur, Legal Expert Hassan Mohammed Sheikh Idris, Journalist Mohamed Elfaki Soliman, Dr. Aisha Musa al-Saeed and Legal Counsel Rajaa Nicolas Issa Abdul Masih.

Muhammad Hassan Taayashi

Born in 1973 in Rihed Al Birdi, Darfur, he received his high-school education at Buram then at the University of Khartoum. He joined students of National Umma Party and appeared as an experienced politician. Taayashi left the party in 2009 and moved to the UK, directing his work to the civil sector especially conflicts and wars resolution.

Rajaa Nicolas Issa Abdul Masih

The Transitional Military Council and the FFC agreed on Rajaa Nicolas Issa Abdul Masih as the 11th figure at the council. She is a Christian born in Omdurman, where she received her primary education.

Rajaa received a bachelor in law from Cairo University in 1980, and was appointed at the Ministry of Justice then promoted to become a legal counsel at the ministry.

Dr. Aisha Musa al-Saeed

Born in El-Obeid, north of Kurdufan, Aisha received Education Certificate from Teacher Training Institute in Omdurman and a Masters from the University of Manchester, a higher diploma from Leeds University and Training Teachers to Teach Languages Certificate from the US.

Journalist Mohamed Elfaki Soliman

He politically belongs to the Unionist Alliance, one of the main factions that participated in the popular movement. Elfaki is the youngest at the council, born in 1979. He studied political sciences at the University of Khartoum.

Legal Expert Hassan Mohammed Sheikh Idris

He is from Kassala, east of Sudan, and graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Khartoum in 1972. Then he got involved in state institutions.

Prof. Siddique Taur

He was chosen by the FFC as a member at the sovereign council, and is known for belonging to the Arab Socialist Baath Party.



Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Lebanon's Presidential Election is My Priority After Ceasefire

Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (R) meets with French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian (L), in Beirut, Lebanon, 28 November 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (R) meets with French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian (L), in Beirut, Lebanon, 28 November 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
TT

Berri to Asharq Al-Awsat: Lebanon's Presidential Election is My Priority After Ceasefire

Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (R) meets with French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian (L), in Beirut, Lebanon, 28 November 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (R) meets with French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian (L), in Beirut, Lebanon, 28 November 2024. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has set the presidential election session for January 9, 2024, calling it a “productive” meeting and announcing that accredited ambassadors in Lebanon will be invited.

Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat that his priority after the ceasefire with Israel is the presidential election, which he called a “national necessity.”

The announcement came as French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian arrived in Beirut for talks with Lebanese leaders about restarting stalled political efforts due to the war between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Both Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati received a call from French President Emmanuel Macron late Wednesday.

Macron discussed with Mikati the current situation in Lebanon following the ceasefire, as well as the implementation of decisions made at the recent Lebanon Support Conference in Paris.

In his call with Berri, Macron addressed the general situation, recent steps taken by Lebanon regarding the ceasefire and Israeli provocations, and preparations for the presidential election.

This renewed presidential push comes after more than two years of a vacant presidency, with Lebanese political parties still divided over a consensus candidate.