Marshal Omar al-Beshir took the oath of office on Tuesday to serve as head of state for another five-year term before a joint meeting of the National Assembly and the States Council which, gathered together, they make up what is known as the National Legislative Council.
The swearing-in and inauguration ceremony was attended by a number of Arab and African Heads of State, including Chadian President Idriss Deby, Central African Prime Minister Mohamed Kamoun, Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, Eritrean President Issaias Afeworke, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hale Meriam Desalegn, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud and Zimbabwe President and incumbent African Union Chairman Robert Mugabe.
Representatives of the Chinese President Minister of Environment Chen Jining and the Russian president the Deputy Foreign Minister and Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov are also present at the ceremony.
Those who took part in the ceremony included Burundi Vice President, Comoros Vice President Nourdine Bourhane, South Sudan Vice President James Wane and Uganda Vice President Edward Ssekandi as well as the Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Iyad Ameen Madani and representatives of other regional organizations.
Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is represented by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed bin Abdulla al-Mahmoud, a frequent visitor of Sudan who brokered the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) between Khartoum government and a number of armed rebel movements which have now joined the government.
The oath-taking ceremony was also attended by several representatives of other Arab heads of state including Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Marshal Bashir will remain in the country highest office after winning the recent presidential elections by 94.5% and will thus be holding this office for more than 30 years.
