Finance Minister: War Has Forced Us into Taugh Austerity Measures

Port Sudan – Sudanhorizon

Sudan’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Jibril Ibrahim, stated that the war had struck the country just as it was embarking on economic reforms to improve infrastructure and invest in human capital.
Speaking at the opening session of the Economic Conference on the Impact of the War, held Tuesday in Port Sudan, Ibrahim highlighted that the conflict has derailed ambitious plans and forced the government to adopt harsh austerity measures.
He noted, “We haven’t just lost revenue sources; we have also suffered a significant loss of human capital, and the country has lost important data and parts of its national memory.”
The minister emphasized that Sudan’s rural economy’s resilience and the reliance of many citizens on agricultural and livestock production have supported the national economy, thwarting the plans of Sudan’s adversaries to collapse it.
Ibrahim described the agricultural production in the past season as “excellent by all standards”. He said preparations are underway to ensure the success of the upcoming winter season, which aims to increase state revenues and bolster the economic sector.
He pledged to fulfill all state workers’ entitlements 100% in the 2025 budget and underscored the importance of implementing financial federalism to align with political federalism.
The minister revealed that the government has been working on an economic recovery plan to rebuild what the war has destroyed. This plan includes assessing the damage to critical sectors and drawing on the experiences of similar countries in reconstruction. The vision has been formulated into a comprehensive international document.
Ibrahim explained that the war has imposed extraordinary circumstances requiring exceptional measures from the ministry. He stressed that the first economic conference aims to evaluate the policies implemented by the Ministry of Finance through transparent dialogue that prioritizes the interests of the nation and its citizens. Addressing the challenges of the current economic situation requires in-depth and precise analyses by experts familiar with the needs of the people.
He concluded that the conference seeks to analyze the current economic reality and present a roadmap for addressing the challenges.