Idris's appointment was formalized on May 19 through a constitutional decree issued by Burhan, who also serves as commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces. The decision was welcomed by the United Nations, the African Union Commission, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The prime minister's post had remained vacant since the resignation of Abdalla Hamdok in January 2022, following a military coup led by Burhan in October 2021. Hamdok and other civilian leaders were briefly detained before being reinstated under a short-lived power-sharing deal.

He stepped down weeks later, warning that Sudan was at a "dangerous turning point" as mass protests erupted against military rule. Idris, who holds a doctoral degree in international law, previously served as Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization and Secretary-General of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.

Sudan remains gripped by a conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which erupted in April 2023. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, both internally and across borders, deepening the country's humanitarian crisis.