Sudan’s economy has been in freefall since the coup d’état of October 24, 2021, which notably led to the freezing of international aid. Economists are sounding the alarm.
With our regional correspondent, Florence Morice
The Sudanese economist Hassan Bashir speaks of a situation critical “. The poverty rate has now reached 65% of the population, which is twice as much, he says, as before the coup. 1.5 million more Sudanese than last year will need food assistance in 2023, according to a recent United Nations report. The largest increase since 2011 in the country.
Sudan is plunged into a vicious circle “, continues the economist: freezing of international aid, drop in investments, shortage of foreign currencies and fall by half of the value of the Sudanese pound compared to the dollar. Not to mention the inflation which reaches peaks, more than 300% in 2022. All this against the backdrop of an increase in taxes levied by the State in an attempt to replenish its coffers. ” There is no longer a middle class in Sudan “, slice Hafiz Ismail, another economist. ” There are only poor people left, and a few very rich ones. »
In this context, the March 31 deadline raises concerns. If, by then, Sudan still does not have a transitional civilian government, the country should be excluded from the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative, which provided for considerable debt relief.