Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris is pictured during a press conference at the Khartoum State Government headquarters, in Khartoum, Sudan, on Jan. 11, 2026. Idris on Sunday announced the return of the government to the capital, Khartoum, for the first time since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, after nearly three years of running state affairs from the eastern city of Port Sudan. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

KHARTOUM, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris on Sunday announced the return of the government to the capital, Khartoum, for the first time since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, after nearly three years of running state affairs from the eastern city of Port Sudan.

"The government has returned to the national capital," Idris said in a speech to a crowd following his arrival in Bahri, north of Khartoum.

He pledged to improve basic services, particularly in the health and education sectors, and to rebuild hospitals and rehabilitate schools and universities, foremost among them the University of Khartoum.

The prime minister added that 2026 would be "the year of peace in Sudan," pointing to plans for reconstruction and development, as well as efforts to improve the economic situation by increasing gross national product, reducing inflation, and stabilizing the exchange rate of the national currency.

The government's return is part of official efforts to restore administrative functions and public services to the capital, following announcements in recent months of gradual plans to reinstate state institutions, alongside a relative improvement in security conditions in some areas, despite persistent security and humanitarian challenges in several parts of the country.

Khartoum witnessed fierce battles that caused widespread damage to government institutions, infrastructure, and basic services.

The Sudanese government relocated to Port Sudan in late April 2023, days after fighting broke out in Khartoum between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The move took place gradually, with the headquarters of the Sovereign Council, the Council of Ministers, and several ministries and sovereign institutions transferred to Port Sudan, which later became a temporary seat for managing state affairs amid deteriorating security conditions in Khartoum.

In May 2025, the SAF declared Khartoum State cleared of RSF forces, paving the way for the city to gradually reclaim public spaces and resume normal life.

The conflict has left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced, both inside Sudan and across its borders. ■

Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris addresses the crowds who came to welcome him in Bahri, north of Khartoum, on Jan. 11, 2026. Idris on Sunday announced the return of the government to the capital, Khartoum, for the first time since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, after nearly three years of running state affairs from the eastern city of Port Sudan. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)

Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris (C) greets crowds who came to welcome him in Bahri, north of Khartoum, on Jan. 11, 2026. Idris on Sunday announced the return of the government to the capital, Khartoum, for the first time since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, after nearly three years of running state affairs from the eastern city of Port Sudan. (Photo by Mohamed Khidir/Xinhua)