Sudan inflation rate drops to 24% in November

December 14, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Thursday, announced that Sudan’s monthly inflation rate has significantly declined to 24.76 percent in November from 33.08 percent in October 2017.

In its annual report on Sudan’s economic situation, the International Monetary Fund urged the Sudanese government to review its monetary policy in order to curb rising inflationary pressures, after the South Sudan secession.

“Loose fiscal and monetary policy settings, fuel and electricity price hikes, and exchange rate depreciation, have led to a sharp increase in inflation, which stood at 35.1 percent in September 2017, up from 18.3 percent in September 2016,” said the IMF.

The CBS has reported that inflation has fallen in October, despite the remarkable rise in the general price index.

He pointed out that the contribution of the 12 commodity and service groups in the annual inflation rate was varying from 70.47% for food and beverages group, 8.08%, for the clothing and footwear group while the rate of housing, water, electricity and gas group was at 4.2%.

The report further said that contribution of restaurants and hotels in the inflation was at 3.81%, %, for the communications group its rate was at 3.01%, household equipment and equipment group at 2.85%, miscellaneous goods and services group at 2.66%, health group at 1.92%, transport group at 1.59%, and education at 0.10%.

Analysts insist that the loss of oil income after South Sudan secession has negatively impacted the Sudanese economy which had been already weakened by the 20-year economic sanctions. They also point to the need to end the war and direct all the national revenue for infrastructure and economic development.

(ST)