After Four Years of Suspension, World Bank Mission Arrives in Sudan
Port Sudan – SudanHorizon
The World Bank announced on Monday the arrival of its first high-level official mission to Sudan since relations were suspended in 2021.
The head of the mission affirmed the Bank’s commitment to continuing its funded projects in Sudan, with a financing portfolio of 540.2 million USD, in accordance with priorities set by the government.
During his meeting with the head of the mission—World Bank Regional Director for Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, Mariam Salem—at the ministry complex in the administrative capital Port Sudan, Minister of Finance Jibril Ibrahim outlined the government’s top priorities for the current period. These include rebuilding what the war destroyed, providing essential services such as health, education, water supply, electricity, and alternative energy, in addition to prioritizing the agricultural sector and rehabilitating war-damaged infrastructure in Khartoum State to support efforts to enable citizens’ return to their homes.
The Minister praised the resumption of relations with the World Bank and the continuation of project financing.
Ms. Mariam stated that the mission— which includes Yuichiro Ishihara, World Bank Country Manager for Sudan, along with Mohamed Osman, Economic Specialist at the Bank’s Sudan office—aims to assess the performance of ongoing World Bank projects in coordination with the Sudanese government, reviewing progress, achievements, and obstacles.
She revealed that members of the special World Bank meeting on Sudan, held in Washington last November, unanimously agreed to extend support to Sudan through new projects in food security and basic services.
The meeting also reviewed projects financed from the Bank’s portfolio since 2024, which will continue over the coming years, including:
Community resilience enhancement
Emergency support for basic education
Health emergency response and assistance
Social safety net and emergency response project
Community resilience strengthening project
The meeting further disclosed the Bank’s approval of a new project in the field of clean and digital energy in Sudan.
Both sides emphasized the importance of establishing a joint coordination unit within the Ministry of Finance to manage the World Bank portfolio and ensure direct coordination with implementing partners and relevant ministries, with the goal of improving project performance and ensuring sustainability.
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