Germany is hosting Thursday "Sudan Partnership Conference", a high-level international conference aimed at helping Sudan achieve economic stability with the participation of 50 countries and international organizations, namely the EU and UN.
The one-day video conference will see speeches from Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Josep Borrell.
Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US envoy to Sudan, Donald Booth, and the Acting Administrator of USAID, John Barsa, will also participate in the conference.
After the opening session, the Sudanese Finance Minister, Ibrahim el-Badawi, will deliver a speech. He will be participating in a session on economic reform and the support of international organizations with officials from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Before the conference, Maas said that the international community will mobilize financial resources to support economic reform, adding that the goal is to help the Sudanese people achieve a better future.
For his part, Guterres said that the conference is a unique opportunity to support Sudan in its endeavor to achieve a political transition towards a democratic civil regime, adding that this will pave the way for the country’s economic and social recovery.
The EU's High Representative asserted that the Union is keen to support the future of democracy in Sudan and achieve people’s aspirations.
For his part, Hamdok confirmed that the conference establishes a new relationship with the international community, adding that it comes amid different circumstances and challenges.
He indicated that the conference will support the general framework of the economic development plan to achieve the goals of the revolution represented in freedom, peace, and justice.
In turn, the Sudanese Finance Minister said that all indications show that the “Sudan Partnership Conference” will provide great support to the country to achieve the goals of the transitional period.
Badawi predicted that Sudan would receive about $1 billion annually from the IMF, especially with the Fund’s monitoring of the economic reform.
On Tuesday, the IMF issued a statement saying it reached an agreement with Sudan on macroeconomic policies and structural reform that would underpin a 12-month Staff-Monitored Program (SMP).
The statement added that the Sudanese authorities have requested the SMP to support their efforts to restore macroeconomic stability, lay the foundation for strong and inclusive growth, mobilize external financing, make progress toward debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative, as well as cope with the impact of COVID-19.
Badawi said he was optimistic the program will be implemented quickly, which will enable the government to normalize relations with international organizations.
He indicated that the government needs international economic, political, and diplomatic support to overcome the current challenges in the process of transition and economic reform. He also hoped this would help reach fair elections that establish a democratic transformation.
The minister explained that the conference will help Sudan reestablish a relationship with international financing institutions, and all indicators show that the country will receive significant support that will bridge the revenue gap, which is more than $3 billion as a result of the effects of the pandemic.
The Sudanese economy faced challenges that led to a 2.5 percent contraction in 2019, and is expected to contract by 8 percent in 2020 due to the economic effects of the coronavirus.
Sudan's external debts amounted to about $60 billion and the IMF said it exceeded 190 percent of GDP in 2019.
Meanwhile, member of the Forces of Freedom and Change economic committee Mohammed Sheikhoun predicted that the conference will result in limited support according to a program determined by the donors.
He told Asharq al-Awsat that the transitional government has gone a long way in implementing the requests of international donors and institutions including restructuring the economy, lifting subsidies on commodities, and floating the pound.
The Sudanese government hopes to receive loans and subsidies to help in the budget deficit, according to Sheikhoun.
Economist Haitham Mohamed Fathi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the conference represents an opportunity for the transitional government to interact with the international community in an integrated forum discussing the Sudanese political and economic situation.
He called upon the government to present a coherent economic and political strategy for the transitional period with performance measurement indicators.
Haitham said that the outcomes of the conference will reflect the position of the international community on assisting Sudan in light of its economic crisis.
He stressed that if the friends of Sudan and donors are keen to help, they should start by removing its name from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
