List of heads of state of Sudan

Since independence was proclaimed on 1 January 1956, six individuals (and three multi-member sovereignty councils) have served as head of state of Sudan, currently under the title President of the Republic of the Sudan. Prior to independence, Sudan was governed as a condominium by Egypt and the United Kingdom, under the name Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. As such, executive power was vested in a dyarchy consisting of both countries' heads of state – at the time of independence, the Queen of the United Kingdom (Elizabeth II) and the Egyptian Revolutionary Command Council (headed by Gamal Abdel Nasser). Immediately following independence, the role of head of state was filled by a five-member Sovereignty Council, with rival nationalist factions unable to agree on a single candidate. In November 1958, General Ibrahim Abboud led a military coup d'état, assuming the role of head of state as Chairman of the Supreme Council. Assuming the title of president in 1964, he resigned later that year due to general discontent around the rule of the military regime. Abboud was succeeded by a senior civil servant, Sirr Al-Khatim Al-Khalifa, who served as acting president for 18 days before transferring executive authority to a Committee of Sovereignty.

Ismail al-Azhari, the leader of the National Unionist Party, was made president in July 1965; he ruled with limited power until he was deposed in a 1969 military coup. The military officers responsible for the coup established the National Revolutionary Command Council, chaired by Jaafar Nimeiry. Nimeiry, the leader of the newly formed Sudanese Socialist Union, assumed the position of president in 1971, and subsequently established a one-party state, which existed until 1985, when a group of military officers overthrew his government and established the 1985 Transitional Military Council, led by Field Marshal Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab. Ahmed al-Mirghani succeeded to the relatively powerless position of Chairman of the Supreme Council in 1986, after multi-party election held that year. He was deposed in a 1989 military coup led by Lieutenant-General Omar al-Bashir. Al-Bashir served as head of state, under the title of Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation from 1989 to 1993 and as president from 1993 to 2019 (and from 1996 as the leader of the National Congress Party).

Al-Bashir was removed from power by the Sudanese Armed Forces on 11 April 2019, amid the Sudanese revolution after holding the office for nearly 30 years. Lieutenant-General Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf took control of Sudan without becoming head of state, established the 2019 Transitional Military Council, but resigned the following day in favor of Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/11/africa/sudan-unrest-intl/index.html |first1=Sarah |first2=Nima |first3=Yasir |last1=El Sirgany |last2=Elbagir |last3=Abdullah |title=Sudan's President Bashir forced out in military coup |date=11 April 2019 |website=cnn.com |publisher=CNN |access-date=12 April 2019}} The Transitional Military Council was replaced with the Transitional Sovereignty Council on 20 August 2019, under the chairmanship of al-Burhan. The Sovereignty Council, an 11-member civilian-military collective head of state, is designed to lead the country for 39 months in the transition to democracy, which is supposed to end with the next general election.{{cite news |title=Sudan forms 11-member sovereign council, headed by al-Burhan |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/20/sudan-forms-11-member-sovereign-council-headed-by-al-burhan/ |access-date=20 August 2019 |agency=Al Jazeera |date=1 June 2021}} The Transitional Sovereignty Council was dissolved by al-Burhan on 25 October 2021, following a coup d'état.{{Cite news |date=2021-10-25 |title=Sudan's Burhan declares state of emergency, dissolves government |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-politics-burhan-idUSKBN2HF0UV|access-date=2021-10-25}} Al-Burhan reinstated it on 11 November 2021, with some members replaced.{{cite news |title=Sudan army chief names new governing Sovereign Council |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/11/sudan-army-chief-issues-a-decree-for-new-sovereign-council |access-date=20 March 2023 |work=Al Jazeera |date=11 November 2021}}

As of 2021, there is a two-term limit for the president in the Constitution of Sudan. The term limit has not been met by any president yet.{{cite web |last1=Cook |first1=Candace |last2=Siegle |first2=Joseph |title=Circumvention of Term Limits Weakens Governance in Africa |url=https://africacenter.org/spotlight/circumvention-of-term-limits-weakens-governance-in-africa/ |website=Africa Center for Strategic Studies}}

• 1956–1958: Sovereignty Council
• 1958–1964: Chairman of the Supreme Council
• 1964{{spaces|10}}: President
• 1964–1965: Committees of Sovereignty
• 1965–1969: Chairman of the Sovereignty Council
• 1969–1971: Chairman of the National Revolutionary Command Council
• 1971–1985: President
• 1985{{spaces|10}}: Commander-in-Chief
• 1985–1986: Chairman of the Transitional Military Council
• 1986–1989: Chairman of the Supreme Council
• 1989–1993: Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation
• 1993–2019: President
• 2019{{spaces|10}}: Chairman of the Transitional Military Council
• 2019–2021: Transitional Sovereignty Council
• 2021{{spaces|10}}: Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces{{cite web |last1=Hoffmann |first1=Anette |title=Military coup betrays Sudan's revolution: Scenarios to regain the path towards full civilian rule |url=https://www.clingendael.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/PB%20Sudan%20Coup.pdf |website=Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael |access-date=22 March 2023 |date=November 2021}}
• 2021–present: Transitional Sovereignty Council

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|-

! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}

! rowspan="2" width="90px" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" | Name
{{small|(Birth–Death)}}

! rowspan="2" | Elected

! colspan="3" | Term of office

! rowspan="2" | Political party

|-

! Took office

! Left office

! Time in office

|-

! colspan="8" |

|-

! style="background:;" | {{color||1}}

| 90px

| Sovereignty Council
{{efn|Members: Abdel Fattah Muhammad al-Maghrabi, Muhammad Ahmad Yasin, Ahmad Muhammad Salih, Muhammad Othman al-Dardiri and Siricio Iro Wani.}}

| —

| 1 January 1956

| 17 November 1958
{{small|(deposed)}}

| {{Age in years and days|1956|1|1|1958|11|17}}

| Multipartisan

|-

! style="background:{{party color|Military rule}};" | {{color|black|2}}

| 90px

| Ibrahim Abboud
{{small|(1900–1983)}}

| —

| 17 November 1958

| 16 November 1964
{{small|(resigned)}}

| {{Age in years and days|1958|11|17|1964|11|16}}

| Military

|-style="background:#e6e6aa;"

! style="background:{{party color|National Umma Party}};" | {{color|white|—}}

| 90px

| Sirr Al-Khatim Al-Khalifa
{{small|(1919–2006)}}
{{small|Acting President}}

| —

| 16 November 1964

| 3 December 1964

| {{Age in years and days|1964|11|16|1964|12|3}}

| National Umma Party

|-

! style="background:;" | {{color||3}}

| rowspan=2|90px

| First Committee of Sovereignty
{{efn|Members: Abdel Halim Muhammad, Tijani al-Mahi, Mubarak Shaddad, Ibrahim Yusuf Sulayman and Luigi Adwok Bong Gicomeho.}}

| rowspan=2|—

| 3 December 1964

| 10 June 1965

| {{Age in years and days|1964|12|3|1965|6|10}}

| rowspan=2|Multipartisan

|-

! style="background:;" | {{color||4}}

| Second Committee of Sovereignty
{{efn|Members: Ismail al-Azhari, Abdullah al-Fadil al-Mahdi, Luigi Adwok Bong Gicomeho, Abdel Halim Muhammad and Khidr Hamad.}}

| 10 June 1965

| 8 July 1965

| {{Age in years and days|1965|6|10|1965|7|8}}

|-

! style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party (Sudan)}};" | {{color|white|5}}

| 90px

| Ismail al-Azhari
{{small|(1900–1969)}}

| —

| 8 July 1965

| 25 May 1969
{{small|(deposed)}}

| {{Age in years and days|1965|7|8|1969|5|25}}

| Democratic Unionist Party

|-

! colspan="8" |

|-

! style="background:{{party color|Sudanese Socialist Union}};" | {{color|white|6}}

| 90px

| Gaafar Nimeiry
{{small|(1928–2009)}}
{{efn|Briefly interrupted during the 19–22 July 1971 coup d'état.}}

| 1971{{efn|Presidency referendum.}}
1977
1983

| 25 May 1969

| 6 April 1985
{{small|(deposed)}}

| {{Age in years and days|1969|5|25|1985|4|6}}

| Military /
Sudanese Socialist Union

|-

! colspan="8" |

|-

! style="background:{{party color|Military rule}};" | {{color|black|7}}

| 90px

| Abdel Rahman Swar al-Dahab
{{small|(1934–2018)}}

| —

| 6 April 1985

| 6 May 1986{{efn|Handed over power to the civilian government after the 1986 parliamentary election.}}

| {{Age in years and days|1985|4|6|1986|5|6}}

| Military

|-

! style="background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party (Sudan)}};" | {{color|white|8}}

| 90px

| Ahmed al-Mirghani
{{small|(1941–2008)}}

| —

| 6 May 1986

| 30 June 1989
{{small|(deposed)}}

| {{Age in years and days|1986|5|6|1989|6|30}}

| Democratic Unionist Party

|-

! style="background:{{party color|National Congress Party (Sudan)}};" | {{color|white|9}}

| 90px

| Omar al-Bashir
{{small|(born 1944)}}

| 1996
2000
2010
2015

| 30 June 1989

| 11 April 2019
{{small|(deposed)}}

| {{Age in years and days|1989|6|30|2019|4|11}}

| Military /
National Congress Party

|-

! colspan="8" |

|-

! style="background:{{party color|National Congress Party (Sudan)}};" | {{color|white|10}}

| 90px

| Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf
{{small|(born 1957)}}

| —

| 11 April 2019

| 12 April 2019
{{small|(resigned)}}

| {{Age in years and days|2019|4|11|2019|4|12}}

| Military /
National Congress Party

|-

! style="background:{{party color|Military rule}};" | {{color|black|11}}

| 90px

| Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
{{small|(born 1960)}}

| —

| 12 April 2019

| 20 August 2019

| {{Age in years and days|2019|4|12|2019|8|20}}

| Military

|-

! style="background:;" | {{color||12}}

| 90px

| Transitional Sovereignty Council
{{efn|Members: Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Hemedti, Yasser al-Atta, Shams al-Din Khabbashi, Ibrahim Jabir Karim, Aisha Musa el-Said, Siddiq Tawer, Mohamed al-Faki, Hassan Sheikh Idris, Mohammed Hassan al-Ta'ishi and Raja Nicola.}}

| —

| 20 August 2019

| 25 October 2021
{{small|(deposed)}}

| {{Age in years and days|2019|8|20|2021|10|25}}

| Multipartisan
{{small|(FFC and TMC)}}

|-

! style="background:{{party color|Military rule}};" | {{color|black|{{small|(11)}}}}

| 90px

| Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
{{small|(born 1960)}}

| —

| 25 October 2021

| 11 November 2021

| {{Age in years and days|2021|10|25|2021|11|11}}

| Military

|-

! style="background:{{party color|Military rule}};" | {{color|black|{{small|(12)}}}}

| 90px

| Transitional Sovereignty Council
{{efn|Members: Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Deputy Chairman Hemedti (until 2023), Malik Agar (Deputy Chairman from 2023), Shams al-Din Khabbashi, Yasser al-Atta, Ibrahim Jabir Karim, El Hadi Idris Yahya, El Tahrir Abubakr Hajar, Raja Nicola, Abdulgasim Bortom, Yousef Jad Karim, Abdelbagi al-Zubeir, Salma Abdeljabbar.{{cite news |title=Sudan coup leader restores restructured Sovereignty Council |url=https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-coup-leader-restores-restructured-transitional-sovereignty-council |access-date=26 March 2023 |work=Radio Dabanga |date=11 November 2021 |location=Khartoum}}{{Cite web |title=Sudan's Burhan dismisses Hemedti of his position |url=https://www.albawaba.com/news/sudans-burhan-dismisses-hemedti-his-position-1519485 |access-date=2023-05-19 |website=Al Bawaba |language=en}} }}

| —

| 11 November 2021

| Incumbent

| {{Age in years and days|2021|11|11}}

| Military{{cite news |last1=Jeffrey |first1=Jack |title=Analysis: Year post-coup, cracks in Sudan’s military junta |url=https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-africa-cairo-sudan-democracy-2b87ee19685ec2667ac05acff8b4ed9e |access-date=4 April 2025 |work=Associated Press |date=23 October 2022 |quote=[Burhan] led a military coup, unseating the civilian half of Sudan’s ruling Sovereignty Council.}}{{cite news |last1=Gavin |first1=Michelle |title=Junta and Public at Odds in Sudan |url=https://www.cfr.org/blog/junta-and-public-odds-sudan |access-date=4 April 2025 |work=Council on Foreign Relations |date=8 April 2022}}

|}

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{{main|Next Sudanese general election}}

{{notelist}}

• Politics of Sudan
• History of Sudan
• List of governors of pre-independence Sudan
• Vice President of Sudan
• List of heads of government of Sudan

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite news | title= Sudan opposition coalition appoints five civilian members of sovereign council | date= 2019-08-18 |newspaper= Thomson Reuters | url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-politics/sudan-opposition-coalition-appoints-five-civilian-members-of-sovereign-council-idUSKCN1V80DX |access-date= 2019-08-18 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190818214934/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-politics/sudan-opposition-coalition-appoints-five-civilian-members-of-sovereign-council-idUSKCN1V80DX |archive-date= 2019-08-18 |url-status=live}}

{{cite news | title= FFC finally agree on nominees for Sudan's Sovereign Council | date= 2019-08-20 |newspaper= Sudan Tribune | url= https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67962 |access-date= 2019-08-20 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190820195835/https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article67962 |archive-date= 2019-08-20 |url-status=live}}

}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110511083911/http://www.presidency.gov.sd/en/ Official website of the President of Sudan]
• [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Sudan.html World Statesmen – Sudan]

{{Presidents of Sudan}}

{{Sudan topics}}

{{Heads of state and government of Africa}}

Category:Government of Sudan

Category:Political history of Sudan

Sudan

Category:1956 establishments in Sudan

Heads of state

Heads of state