Day: May 11, 2021

(WASHINGTON) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced today that it has approved a financing package for Sudan which would enable it to clear IMF arrears.

“Today, the IMF Executive Board approved a financing plan that will help mobilize the resources needed for the IMF to cover its share of debt relief to Sudan. This financing plan relies on a broad effort of IMF member countries, including cash grants and contributions derived from IMF internal resources” said the IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva.

“This marks a critical step in helping Sudan advance the process of normalizing relations with the international community and make progress towards achieving debt relief under the Heavily-Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative,” she added.

Georgieva stressed that debt relief for Sudan is an IMF priority in order to reach what is known as the “decision point”.

“I am encouraged by the support from our members and by their recognition of the progress Sudan has made on economic reforms under the IMF Staff-Monitored Program (SMP)” she said.

“The HIPC Decision Point, at which time debt relief will begin to be delivered, would be reached as soon as our members have provided the necessary financial commitments, assuming the authorities continue their strong reform efforts and meet the other requirements stipulated under the HIPC process”.

Last week the Sudanese finance minister Gibril Ibrahim announced that his country completed second SMP review.

“This paves the way for Sudan to reach HIPC Decision Point which will hopefully result in substantial debt relief for Sudan as well as new credit lines,” he tweeted.

Sudan will seek to convince international creditors at a conference in Paris next week to cancel as much as it can from $50 billion in debt, mostly with bilateral creditors.

France is hosting the conference to promote investment and debt relief for Sudan.

Sudan has successfully cleared its arrears at the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfdB) with bridge loans supported by the US, UK and Sweden.

A French diplomat said last month that his government could provide funding for Sudan to also clear arrears with the IMF and proceed with HIPC.

 

Source: Sudan Tribune

(EL FASHER) – The Commission for Refugees (COR) in North Darfur State transferred to refugee camps Ethiopian soldiers have defected seeking political asylum after working in the UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur, UNAMID.

The defectors who are from the Tigray region say fear for their life after the eruption of the war between the federal government and the TPLF in northern Ethiopia.

“The first batch of asylum seekers left El Fasher airport via a UN plane to Kassala airport in eastern Sudan and was transported to Um Gargorah camp for the Ethiopian refugees,” said the Commissioner for Refugees in North Darfur Fateh Ibrahim Mohamed in statements to the official news agency SUNA on Monday.

The total number of soldiers who applied for asylum at the Commission reached 120, including 14 women, he added.

They were transferred in four batches including one of 33 soldiers on Sunday and another of 31 soldiers on Monday.

They are handed over to the refugee commission and the humanitarian groups including the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in the refugee camp.

The Security Council decided to terminate the UNAMID mandate on 31 December 2020, withdrawing all uniformed and civilian personnel other than those needed for liquidation by 30 June 2021.

 

Source: Sudan Tribune

(JUBA) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has issued a reconstituting the country’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA).

The decree, announced on the state-owned television, comes days after the South Sudanese leader dissolved both the TNLA and the Council of States.

Kiir appointed representatives of parties to the September 2018 peace agreement and the former transitional government, which includes representatives from the National Agenda and the Democratic Change party.

The reconstituted parliament was expanded from 400 to 550 members representative of all the parties to the agreement; the former transitional government to nominate 332 members, armed opposition (SPLM-IO) 128 members and the Opposition Alliance (SSOA) will nominate 50 members.

As per provisions of the peace deal, the Other Political Parties (OPP) were granted 30 slots while Former Detainees were allocated 8 slots.

The decree did not mention when Kiir will announce the appointment of Council of States members, which was expanded from 50 to 100 members.

Activists welcomed the president’s decision, with many saying the move was long over due.

 

Source: Sudan Tribune