Finance Minister Meets Executive Director of the Third African Group of the International Monetary Fund

Minister of Finance, Dr. jibril Ibrahim discussed with Regis N’sonde, Executive Director of the Third African Group of the International Monetary Fund, ways to enhance cooperation and coordination between Sudan and the Fund, particularly in light of the economic and development challenges facing the country and the African region in general.

During his meeting with the Executive Director on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, the Minister provided a comprehensive briefing on economic developments in Sudan, reviewing the positive developments that have begun to appear on the horizon, despite the war. He pointed to the gradual recovery in the performance of the national economy, which has recently witnessed a significant improvement in commercial activity, accompanied by continued stability in the exchange rate of the national currency, reflecting signs of relative economic stability.

The Minister expected that the beginning of next year would witness a qualitative economic transformation, as a result of the increasing return of citizens to their liberated areas and the resumption of commercial activity and productive activities.
He added that agricultural production during the war exceeded production levels achieved in previous years of peace, which refutes rumors about the possibility of famine. He emphasized that Sudan has begun to transition from the emergency relief phase to the sustainable development phase.

The meeting also discussed the common development challenges facing African countries and ways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through activating collective action within the framework of the African Group. The two sides discussed the importance of the Group’s role in influencing the decisions of the International Monetary Fund’s senior management to ensure the necessary support is directed to African countries, particularly in vital sectors such as agriculture, education, and healthcare. They also discussed capacity-building programs, training and qualifying national cadres, and engaging African youth in international financial institutions to enable them to effectively contribute to developing their countries’ financial infrastructure.

The Minister expressed Sudan’s desire to benefit from the Fund’s accumulated technical expertise to enhance the capacities of national financial institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Sudan, the Central Bureau of Statistics, and the Tax Authority.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Executive Director affirmed his personal commitment to supporting the country in international forums, announcing his intention to visit Sudan at the earliest possible opportunity, expressing solidarity with the Sudanese people and affirming the continuation of close cooperation between the two sides.
He also expressed his hope for the return of security and stability to Sudan.