Sudan's finance minister laid out a new plan to transfer cash to the needy in an attempt to end the economic crisis worsened by costly fuel subsidies.
Finance Minster Ibrahim Elbadawi said on state television poor people will get 500 Sudanese pounds ($9.09) a month from the second half of the year, adding that retired public servants will also see their monthly pensions increased.
Sudan which has around 65% of its population living below the poverty line had already announced a rise in public salaries earlier. It is planning to benefit from aid pledged by the European Union worth 460 million euros ($495 million) to fund its economic reforms.
“The aid will start in the second half of the year with the help of donors and the Sudanese government to compensate citizens for a rationalizing of fuel and gasoline subsidies,” Elbadawi said.
“It will go directly to citizens and poor families.”
Sudan is hoping for support from the international community but a donor conference planned for June has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters reported.
Potential foreign donors are pressing for subsidy reforms and greater economic transparency.
Shortages of bread, fuel and medicine coupled with hefty price rises triggered the protests that led to the toppling of veteran ruler Omar al-Bashir.
Inflation is running at more than 80%, according to official statistics.
The economy remained in turmoil after Bashir’s ouster as politicians negotiated a power-sharing deal between the military and civilians.
The government was appointed in September and has taken over for three years under the power-sharing deal.
