Truth Face: Government of Hope and Deferred Recovery
Ibrahim Shaglawi
In politics, as in economics, the value of governments is not measured by the size of the promises they make, but by their ability to transform crises into opportunities and challenges into a will for recovery. From this important perspective, it becomes clear that the Government of Hope is facing its first real test: its ability to convince Sudanese citizens that economic recovery can move from a deferred dream to a lived reality.
The rapid decline in the value of the Sudanese pound, the continuous rise in foreign currency exchange rates, and the soaring cost of living—”three loaves of bread for one thousand pounds”—all reveal a crisis related to the very structure of the economy. The war that erupted in April 2023 plunged the country into a phase of depletion that affected production, investment, services, and markets.
More importantly, citizens’ confidence in the state’s ability to protect their daily livelihoods has deteriorated.
Yet reducing the entire picture to the consequences of war and the dollar exchange rate may lead to a misleading reading. Nations do not rise through exchange rate stability alone, but through their ability to create wealth, expand production, and transform resources into added value.
Therefore, the question is not why the dollar has risen, but why production has declined. Why has poverty expanded to reach 70 percent? And why has the economy, despite its vast resources, remained incapable of building a productive base resilient enough to withstand shocks?
From this perspective, the government’s responsibility extends far beyond merely managing the economic crisis.
It is required to redefine the role of the state—from a state preoccupied with managing daily crises to one that leads a comprehensive national recovery process. Sudan today does not need emergency remedies as much as it needs an integrated economic vision that starts from production as the natural gateway to monetary, social, and political stability.
Perhaps the recent Cabinet decision to directly engage in importing petroleum products reflects an awareness of the magnitude of the pressures facing our national economy, particularly given the direct impact of fuel on production costs, transportation, prices, and exchange rates. However, the importance of the decision lies not in government intervention itself, but in its ability to become part of a serious economic policy that addresses the roots of the crisis.
The market needs more than merely regulating supplies; it needs lower production costs, investment incentives, increased exports, and restored confidence in the national economy.
The truth is that economic recovery will not be achieved through monetary measures alone, regardless of their importance. Sudan possesses agricultural, mineral, and human resources capable of overcoming its crisis, but these resources are being squandered under ineffective management and a limited vision. Citizens returning to their cities need production, employment opportunities, and small enterprises that reintegrate them into the economy—not deferred promises. Restoring confidence in the Sudanese pound is also contingent upon the state’s ability to channel liquidity into the banking system and connect resources to value-added chains, rather than maintaining an economy that dissipates its potential instead of utilizing it.
In my view, the most dangerous challenge facing the government today is not the scarcity of resources, but the trap of managing expectations through slogans rather than managing reality through policies. The poverty that has expanded because of the war cannot be addressed through seasonal programs or initiatives with limited impact. It requires a national project that places employment and production at the forefront of political priorities, no less important than restoring security and stability.
The Ministry of Finance alone cannot reduce poverty, nor can the Central Bank alone protect the pound, unless state institutions work within a unified vision linking production, employment, education, social development, and investment.
Ironically, Sudan today possesses a genuine opportunity to rebuild its economy with the return of citizens, the resumption of normal life, and growing interest in recovery programs. Yet this opportunity is being squandered by the government’s slow pace and weak responses. While the public awaits the dividends of peace, the pound continues to decline, incomes erode, and the cost-of-living crisis deepens. At a time when the authorities are preoccupied with managing political balances, the economy is bleeding in silence. The continuation of this disconnect between the priorities of governance and the needs of the people widens the gap between the state and society, threatening consequences that may become impossible to contain.
Sudanese citizens today do not need a government that merely manages time; they need a government that acts before collapse occurs. The pound is falling faster than its decisions, prices are rising faster than its remedies, and poverty is spreading before its eyes. The Prime Minister’s real battle is not in political speeches or social visits, but at the citizen’s table. If the government fails to halt this deterioration, the question will no longer be about its competence in managing crises, but about the very justification for its continued existence. Governments lose their legitimacy when people feel they are managing crises with words rather than solutions.
Therefore, according to #Truth_Face, the question is: when will the government succeed in halting economic collapse and restoring the minimum level of living stability? If this deterioration continues at the same pace until the end of the year, the Prime Minister’s challenge will not be defending his government’s performance, but justifying its survival. In that case, it may be more appropriate for him to precede dismissal with resignation and an apology for accepting the assignment, because governments are given opportunities to achieve results, not merely to manage crises.
Wishing you health and well-being.
Monday, June 15, 2026 Shglawi55@gmail.com