Sudan finance minister, UNDP discuss post-war economic recovery
Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim meets UNDP representative Sudayo Zoukofa in Khartoum on May 17, 2026
May 17, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim held talks on Sunday with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to discuss economic stabilization, recovery efforts, and post-war reconstruction.
The ongoing conflict, which erupted in April 2023, has severely damaged the Sudanese economy, with estimates showing a contraction of over 42% compared to pre-war levels.
Around 60% of the population has lost their sources of income, coinciding with a sharp plunge in the local currency, which has crossed 4,000 pounds against the U.S. dollar.
A statement from the Ministry of Finance said that Ibrahim met with the acting UNDP Resident Representative in Sudan, Sudayo Bouro Zoukofa, to discuss joint efforts to promote economic stability and the programme’s support for development and reconstruction projects.
The minister affirmed the government’s readiness to receive various forms of technical support and international initiatives.
He urged the UNDP to step up efforts to secure funding from regional and international development institutions to support reconstruction and future development projects.
Ibrahim emphasized the importance of providing clean water via renewable energy sources to cover the largest possible population in safe areas.
He also stressed the need to support food security, promote digital transformation, implement economic reforms, and integrate the informal economy into the formal system.
The minister announced plans to organize a briefing conference for the private sector in coordination with the UN agency, aiming to involve businesses in development and service projects.
The UNDP representative called for enhanced coordination with the Sudanese government to ensure maximum benefit from international and regional development institutions.
She confirmed the programme’s readiness to provide the necessary technical support to implement these projects.
A World Bank report published in May 2025 noted that the Sudanese economy experienced a severe contraction, with gross domestic product shrinking by 29.4% in 2023, followed by a further 13.5% decline in 2024.
The report projected that the economy would not return to pre-war levels before 2031, even under the most optimistic scenarios.
The conflict also led to a collapse in government revenues, falling from around 10% of GDP in 2022 to less than 5% in 2024.
Regarding foreign trade, the Central Bank of Sudan reported in 2025 that total exports were approximately $2.64 billion, while imports were $6.49 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of about $3.86 billion.