Sudan minister says poverty soared to 71% due to conflict

November 8, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan’s poverty rate has surged to 71% from 21% since the start of the current conflict, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Welfare, Mutasim Ahmed Saleh, said on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference, Saleh said that “according to official reports,” 23 million citizens are now below the poverty line.

The World Bank recently set the global poverty line at $3 per person per day, up from its previous estimate of $2.15.

The minister explained that the state would seek to reduce the poverty rate through “productive projects” and job creation. He stressed the need to use social responsibility funds to “transition from the relief phase to recovery and development.”

Saleh noted that many citizens have lost their livelihoods, which necessitates the activation of microfinance projects, and pledged to reform financing rules so that citizens can start their own projects.

Most Sudanese lost their jobs and businesses after the war, which erupted on April 15, 2023, destroyed livelihoods and left many dependent on expatriate remittances and relief.

The minister’s figures follow an October 25 assessment from the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), which showed 86% of families were struggling to buy necessities due to low income, inflation, and market disruptions.

The economic deterioration has forced many families to resort to harmful coping mechanisms, including reducing daily meals, consuming lower-quality food, selling assets, child labour, and child marriage.