June 25, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan partnership conference pledged $1.8 billion to support the transitional government in Khartoum to implement economic reforms paving the way for its reintegration into the international financial system.

The virtual event was attended by over 50 countries and regional and international organisations however the European mobilisation for Sudan was very obvious through the political participation of its leaders and high ranking officials.

Also was notable in the meeting, the participation of the heads of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund who made their pledges and commitment to supporting the integration of the East African country into the financial international system.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was at the meeting to show his strong support to Sudan and his special relationship with that country.

"To support Sudan’s economic reforms and mitigate their social impact on its population, international partners pledged over $1.8 billion," said the joint statement released at the end of the virtual event.

Also, the World Bank Group committed to providing an additional pre-arrears clearance grant of up to $400 million, stressed the statement.

The announced pledges include support to improving macro-economic stabilisation and the safety net programme for vulnerable families to enable the government to achieve harsh reforms.

The statement reiterated that the Berlin Conference marks the start of a process, which "will be followed by subsequent engagement by the international community to take stock of the progress made by Sudan in implementing reforms and to allow its partners to adapt their support accordingly".

In this regard, Jean Yes Le Drian, France’s Foreign Minister recalled the commitment of President Emmanuel Macron to hosting a new high-level international conference in support of Sudan.

For his part, EU top diplomat Josep Borrell made a strong call on the Sudanese democratic forces to support Hamdok’s government and to maintain their unity to achieve reforms ahead of general elections by the end of the transition.

"I call on the military to protect and support the transition. I call on the armed groups not to miss this opportunity to be part of the new Sudan," he further stressed.

Details of pledges

European Union: $336,587,419, Germany $168,293, 709, USA $302 million, France $112, 119, 695, UK $ 186, 259, 856, Spain $3, 722, 824, UAE $ 50 million, World Bank $449, 132, 414, Saudi Arabia, $ 10 million, South Korea $ 64 million, Italy $19 million, Belgium $ 22 million, Finland $ 2 million, Norway $ 2 million.

Also, the World Bank pledged loan subsidization over three years of 1, 762, 401, 570 while Poland announced a debit waiver of $112 million.

It is worth noting that the government called for financial support to its economic reform programme.

The armed groups had to participate in the event but the lack of agreement on the power-sharing dashed hopes to see them in the meeting.

Commenting on the outcome of the conference, Amin Hassan Omer, a leading Sudanese Islamist and former negotiator of the ousted regime belittled the outcome of the conference recalling that the Oslo donor meeting collected $7 billion of pledges and the Doha conference $3 billion.

(ST)