The Ministry of Information (Arabic: وزارة الإعلام) in Sudan, previously known as the Ministry of Culture and Information (Arabic: وزارة الثقافة والإعلام), is a governmental organisation that oversees the management and distribution of information related to the nation's affairs. The structure of this ministry has seen numerous alterations over time.

Ministry of Information
Arabic: وزارة الإعلام
Agency overview
Formed1930; 94 years ago (1930)
Superseding agency
  • Ministry for Culture and Information
JurisdictionGovernment of Sudan
HeadquartersKhartoum, Khartoum State
Minister responsible
  • Graham Abdelkader
Websitemininfo.gov.sd
Map
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HQ location in Khartoum

History

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The media landscape in Sudan began in 1930 with the establishment of the first press and publications law, marking the initiation of media activities under the Public Liaison Office of the Sudanese Government. This period also saw the introduction of touring cinema. Significant developments continued with the establishment of Radio Hona Omdurman in April 1940, shortly after the end of the World War II, and the creation of a Photography Department, followed by a Film Production Department within the Public Liaison Office. The media in Sudan has been deeply intertwined with the country's struggle for national liberation and identity since its inception.

Post-independence, the media sector was incorporated into the national ministry framework, reflecting its importance in the newly independent nation. In 1954, during the transitional period to self-rule, the Ministry of Social Affairs was created from the Liaison Office, with Yahya Al-Fadhli becoming the first minister in this role.

Significant milestones include partnerships with foreign entities like the McCorquodale Printing Press in 1955, and leadership changes that saw figures like Ziadeh Othman Arbab and Muhammad Ahmed Abu Sun guide the ministry through periods of political transition. The ministry evolved through various name changes and expansions in its scope, including the significant addition of the Television Administration in 1962 and the establishment of the National Theatre.

The media's governance structure underwent several transformations, reflecting the political shifts within Sudan, from the Ministry of Information and Labour (1964) to the Ministry of National Guidance, and eventually to the Ministry of Culture and Information. These changes encompassed the establishment of new departments and initiatives aimed at enriching the cultural and informational landscape of the country, including the National Council for Arts and Letters and various media training institutes.[1]

Throughout the years, the ministry has overseen the creation of regional radio stations, the launch of National Unity Radio, and the establishment of departments focused on children's culture and media professional training. Leadership transitions have often coincided with broader political changes, influencing the ministry's direction and priorities. The era of national salvation (1989 to 2019) introduced further reorganisations and the establishment of additional regional radio stations, continuing the expansion and diversification of Sudan's media infrastructure.

Vision

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According to the ministry, the ministry's vision is to build an efficient, free, and capable information system. Its mission encompasses expressing the diversity of Sudan to reinforce national unity, establishing the concept of identity and belonging, deepening religious values, showcasing the positive image of Sudan externally, and advancing the information system. The ministry aims to develop a robust information infrastructure, establish a partnership between the state and the private sector in terms of information instruments, ensure all of Sudan is covered with information, and provide citizens with information.[2]

Ministers

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# Officeholder Term start date Time in office Ministry Name
1 Yahya Al-Fadhli 10 April 1954 1 years Ministry of Social Affairs
2 Ziadeh Othman Arbab 2 February 1956 0 years
3 Muhammad Ahmed Abusen July 1956 2 years
- Vacant 17 November 1958
4 Muhammad Talaat Farid 1959 2–3 years Ministry of Information and Labour
5 Muhammad Nasr Othman 1962 1–2 years
6 Khalaf Allah Babakir October 1964 0 years
7 Saleh Mahmoud Ismail February 1965 0 years Ministry of Information and Social Affairs
8 Abdul Rahman Al-Nour June 1965 0–1 years
9 Daoud Abdel Latif Ibrahim 1966 0 years
10 Ahmed Abdul Rahman al-Mahdi 30 July 1966 0–1 years
11 Al-Sadiq al-Siddiq al-Mahdi 1967 0 years
12 Abdel Majid Abu Hasbo May 1967 1–2 years
13 Mahjoub Othman 25 May 1969 0 years Ministry of National Guidance
14 Omar Haj Musa 28 October 1969 3 years
24 January 1970 Ministry of Information and National Guidance
9 May 1973 Ministry for Culture and Information
15 Bona Malwal 10 November 1976 1 years
16 Ali Muhammad Shamo [ar] 29 July 1978 1 years
17 Ismail Haj Musa 17 August 1979 1 years
18 Ahmed Abdulrahman 1981 1–2 years
19 Muhammad Othman Abu Saq 1 December 1982 1 years Ministry of Guidance and National Information
20 Muhammad Khojali Salihin June 1983 1 years Ministry for Culture and Information
21 Muhammad Bashir Hamed April 1985 1 years
22 Mohammed Tawfik 5 May 1986 1 years
23 Maamoun Mahjoub Sinada June 1987 0 years
24 Abdullah Mohammed Ahmed 16 May 1988 0 years
25 Suleiman Abu Saleh 26 March 1989 0 years
(16) Ali Muhammad Shamo [ar] 9 July 1989 0 years
(20) Muhammad Khojali Salihin April 1990 0 years
(24) Abdullah Mohammed Ahmed January 1991 2 years
26 Abdel Basset Sabdarat [ar] 30 October 1993 2 years
27 Al-Tayeb Ibrahim Muhammad Khair 5 June 1996 1 years
28 Ghazi Salah al-Din al-Atabani March 1998 2–3 years
29 Mahdi Ibrahim Mohammed 2001 0–1 years Ministry for Information and Communication
30 Alzahawi Ibrahim Malik 2002 1–2 years Ministry for Culture and Information
- Unknown June 2004 0–1 years
(30) Alzahawi Ibrahim Malik 2005 1–2 years
31 Kamal Mohamed Obeid 2007 2–3 years
- Unknown
(31) Kamal Mohamed Obeid June 2010 1–2 years
32 Ahmed Bilal Osman[3] 8 June 2012
- Unknown
33 Faisal Mohammed Saleh[4] 5 September 2019 1 years Ministry of Information
34 Hamza Baloul[5][6] 9 February 2021 0 years Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism
35 Graham Abdelkader[7][8] 25 October 2021 3 years Ministry of Information

References

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  1. ^ "Ministry of Information". وزارة الإعلام. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  2. ^ "About the Ministry of Information". وزارة الإعلام. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  3. ^ "Sudan News Agency". 2012-07-11. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  4. ^ نهلة, مجذوب (2019-09-10). "وزير الإعلام السوداني فيصل محمد صالح لـ"القدس العربي": العدد الأكبر من الصحف معاد للثورة". Al-Quds.
  5. ^ "PM Hamdok announces Sudan's new govt". Radio Dabanga. 9 February 2021.
  6. ^ "تعليقات على مقترح مسودة قانون الصحافة لسنة 2021م المقدم من اللجنة الإستشارية لإصلاح قطاع الإعلام في السودان – صحيفة التغيير السودانية , اخبار السودان" (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  7. ^ "إطلاق مشروع لترميم المواقع الأثرية بالعاصمة السودانية – صحيفة التغيير السودانية , اخبار السودان" (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  8. ^ "إعادة فتح متحف اثنوغرافيا السودان بعد إغلاقه لأكثر من "16" عاما – صحيفة التغيير السودانية , اخبار السودان" (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-03-18.