World Bank to reopen offices in Sudan
NAIROBI, Jan 20, 2005 (Xinhua) — The World Bank has announced plans to reopen its offices in Sudan after a 10-year absence, a sign of the international community’s desire to help the new government with its reconstruction efforts after decades of civil war.
“The Bank plans to reopen its offices, which were closed in 1993, in Khartoum for the north, and a second office for south Sudan, to be based initially in Nairobi,” said a statement received here Thursday.
The announcement comes a fortnight after the Khartoum government and the Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement/Army rebel signed a historic peace deal in neighboring Kenya, ending Sudan’s 21-year civil war in the south, the longest-running in Africa.
The statement from the World Bank doesn’t give a specific date for the reopening, only saying that it is expected soon.
“The World Bank will provide technical assistance and support to capacity building efforts in a way that reflects the political structure in the peace agreement,” the statement said.
In the 1980’s and early 1990’s, Sudan was one of the world’s largest recipients of foreign aid until it stopped paying its dues to donors and creditor nations.
Sudan, which defaulted on its debt repayment to the Bank in 1993, is still not eligible to borrow from the International Development Association (IDA), the Bank’s institution that provides grants and credits on concessional terms, it said.
According to the statement, Sudan is in arrears to the IDA for 324 million US dollars, and its total external debt is about 21 billion US dollars, most of which is also in arrears.
The Bank said it is currently working with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at a technical level on the question of arrears and debt relief in coordination with a debt support group led by Britain to ensure the country’s debt does not hinder the flow of funds from international lenders and donors.
However, the Bank said Sudan should be eligible for debt relief under a global program for the world’s neediest countries.