Category: Industry

May 19, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok has expected the creditor nations would cancel 80 per cent of $60 billion debt Sudan owes them next June.

Hamdok arrived in Khartoum on Wednesday night after his participation in an international conference organized by President Emmanuel Macron to remove Sudan’s foreign debt and attract investments, with the participation of about 40 countries and a global front.

Speaking to the press after his return to Khartoum, he said the Paris conference enabled his country to fulfil the fifth and final and final condition before reaching the Decision Point thanks to a 1.5 billion bridge loan from France to clear IMF arrears.

The Sudanese government has already fulfilled 4 conditions under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) programme which provides debt relief for low-income nations.

“So, we have fulfilled all conditions (for debt forgiveness), and by the end-June 2021, we will reach the Decision Point,” he said.

“We expect to be exempt from about 80% of the debt, equivalent to 44-46 billion dollars,” he further added.

After the French loan Sudan has reached the Completion Point, which qualifies the east African country for debt relief under the HIPC Initiative, and for debt relief under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) from the World Bank’s IDA and the African Development Fund (AfDF), together with beyond-HIPC assistance from the IMF.

Paris Club creditors are also expected to provide further beyond-HIPC assistance at the Completion Point.

Sudan’s $60-billion debt is the biggest to be treated under the HIPC to date.

Meeting with Saudi minister

Before t return to Khartoum, Hamdok met with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan to discuss negotiations with Sudan’s creditor countries that are not members of the Paris Club.

The Saudi government has pledged to work jointly with Khartoum to tackle Sudan’s debit with countries outside the Paris Club including China, Kuwait, the Emirates and Japan.

Also, China has pledged to raise Sudan’s economic support during the upcoming G20 meeting which will be held next October in Rome.

 

 

Source: Sudan Tribune

May 19, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – The local currency in Sudan continued to tumble against major currencies in Wednesday’s trading amid scarce supply and increased demand, as banks sought to catch up with the black market by adjusting exchange rates downward.

The parallel markets witnessed a remarkable decline in their trading vines in conjunction with the Paris conference on Sudan, which resulted in pledges of debt relief.

According to traders who spoke to the Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, one dollar was traded at 415-420 pounds while the selling price of the UAE dirham was 114 pounds, the Saudi riyal 111, and the Euro 490 pounds.

Meanwhile, foreign exchange rates in banks soared to reduce parity with the parallel markets.

The selling price of the dollar at some banks reached 412 pounds, while the selling price of the Emirati dirham reached 112 pounds, and the selling price of the Saudi riyal was 109.87 pounds.

A dealer reported an increase in the volume of speculation in the markets after the end of the Paris conference, which led to an increase in the demand for foreign currencies, expecting a further increase in the coming days.

 

 

Source: Sudan Tribune

May 18, 2021 (PARIS) – Sudanese Prime Minister on Tuesday encouraged foreign investors to come to the country stressing it is a land of business opportunities.

Abdallah Hamdok made his call at a meeting with French and business forum during a presentation of
Sudanese economic reforms and business environment in the country.

“We have always said that Sudan is a rich country and does not need grants and donations. Rather, it needs investment that creates job opportunities for our youth, and we want to see real investments that come to our country and work with us,” he said.

Sudanese government released a document called “4 core sectors projects” with details about oil and gas projects in different regions.

The power production projects focused on Solar PV plants and Wind Farms. While the power transmission projects included a 500kV Sudan Ethiopia Power Interconnection.

Hamdok said that there are many real business opportunities that can yield big profits, adding that his country is ready to welcome international investments

He stressed that the investors would create jobs for the Sudanese youth and contribute to the make his country a prosperous nation.

Minister of Finance Gibril Ibrahim, Head of the Investment Authority, Heba Mohamed Ali who was the former finance minister are part of the Hamdok delegation to Paris meetings.

They held a series of meetings with French officials and businessmen about economic and investment projects.

 

 

Source: Sudan Tribune

(JUBA) – Turkish companies have earmarked a $105-million investment in an agro-industrial project in South Sudan.

Turkey’s Ambassador to South Sudan, Erdem Mutaf said the investment in the agro-industrial complex will cover different production lines and create job opportunities for South Sudanese.

He further assured that the Turkish government will ensure more Turkish companies come and start businesses in South Sudan.

South Sudan’s Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Onyoti Adigo appreciated the Turkish investment in the country.

He said the project provides good employment opportunities for the country’s citizens.

According to the minister, South Sudan has very rich fish resources, and through such enterprises, the country would be able to export its fish products.

Economic and commercial relations between Turkey and South Sudan has considerable potential, with trade volume between the two countries reportedly hitting $6.2 million in 2020.

Turkey is one of the first countries which recognized the independence of South Sudan in 2011.

 

Source: Sudan Tribune

Background

This tool is designed to support Nutrition partners in South Sudan to identify potential GBV-related safety risks at and around the Stabilization Centers.
Stabilization Center safety audits are participatory and practical tools that can be used to rapidly assess a facility’s usability from the perspective of users, whose requirements are often ignored in standard design.

It generally focuses on:

1. The Stabilization Center structural design
2. The Latrine for users (hygiene)
3. Handwashing and bathing area
4. General protection environment for women and children

Focusing on these broad four components, the safety audit helps to:

• Identify barriers that make it difficult for some people to use the facility independently
• Identify which features make the facility easy to use and which make it difficult to use for people with special needs (e.g. persons with physical impairments)
• Identify any safety concerns around using the facility, especially for women and children
• Identify any changes needed to the facility and/or the surrounding area
• Make practical suggestions for changes/improvement.

General tips on using this tool

• The tool is divided into three parts: 1) Observation; 2) Community Consultation (through focus group discussions); and 3) Staff Consultation. Ideally, all components should be used together, but depending on time, staff capacity, etc. individual components of the tool can also be used independently.
• For Part 2 (community consultations), it is recommended to have a female enumerator. If it is not possible to translate this tool into the local language ahead of time and/or train someone who speaks the local language to collect the data directly, it is recommended to have a female translator.
• When forming the focus groups for Part 2 of the tool, consider the power dynamics that might affect some participants’ ability to speak freely. For example, in some communities, older women may tend to dominate the conversation and younger women/adolescent girls may not have an opportunity to express their views unless there is a separate group just for them. Similarly, in some communities, unmarried women may feel less free to speak than married women may.

Suggested preparation steps prior to beginning data collection

• The purpose of this tool is NOT to actively identify specific GBV cases or survivors. However, when discussing topics such as safety, some participants may choose to disclose their personal experience or the experience of someone they know. Before beginning the data collection process, it is important to ensure that enumerators are prepared for such disclosures, including training on psychological first aid (PFA) and the available GBV response services in the location (if there are any). If GBV response services are not available in the location where data collection is taking place, enumerators should receive training on the Pocket Guide1 and/or have the GBV Pocket Guide app.

 

 

Source: UN Children’s Fund