For the first time in nearly three years, the flag of the Sudanese government flies officially over Khartoum. Prime Minister Kamil Idris, flanked by heavy security, declared the "Government of Hope" open for business on Sunday, marking a symbolic end to the exile in Port Sudan. But the capital he returns to is a ghost of its former self—a city of shell-shocked survivors and pulverized infrastructure.

The return follows the military’s recapture of key districts from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last March. Since the civil war erupted in April 2023, Khartoum has been the epicenter of a conflict that has killed over 150,000 people and displaced millions. The government’s presence is meant to signal stability, but analysts warn it is a fragile victory.

A City Broken

"We are back to serve," Idris told reporters, standing amidst the rubble of a government ministry. His priority list is daunting: restoring electricity to a grid that has been dark for months, fixing water treatment plants, and reopening hospitals that were turned into sniper nests.

• The Humanitarian Crisis: The UN estimates that basic services in Khartoum are "barely functioning." Millions fled, but those who remained endured a brutal occupation characterized by looting and sexual violence. The government must now feed a population that has been living on the brink of famine.
• The Security Vacuum: While the army holds the center, the RSF still lurks in the peripheries. The return of the cabinet is a high-risk gamble. A successful counter-attack could decapitate the administration.
• The "Year of Peace": Idris declared 2026 the "Year of Peace," but skepticism runs deep. Diplomatic talks in Jeddah have stalled repeatedly. For the residents of Khartoum, peace is not a declaration; it is the silence of the guns, which they have not heard in 1,000 days.

The Hard Road Ahead

The move from the Red Sea coast back to the Nile is a statement of intent: Sudan is not a failed state. But rebuilding a capital from the ashes requires billions of dollars that the sanctioned, war-torn economy does not have. The government is back, but the state is still missing.