CAIRO- On Sunday, Sudan passed its 2020 budget which includes an overall 73 billion Sudanese pound ($1.62 billion) deficit according to Ibrahim Elbadawi, the Finance Minister.
Sudan’s ruling sovereign council and Cabinet approved the budget- the first since the toppling of Omar al-Bashir, the longtime ruler whose final years in power faced deep economic woes.
The renewed budget expects revenues of 568.3 billion Sudanese pounds ($12.63 billion) and includes increased healthcare and education expenditure.
Elbadawi says that this is a budget that bodes for peace.
One of the main priorities of the current Sudanese government is peacemaking with rebels fighting Khartoum. This is a key condition for the removal of Sudan from the U.S. sponsors of terrorism list.
Their current presence on this list has left the country unable to tap support from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Sudanese economy faced a blow when the south of the country seceded in 2011, which cost it three-quarters of its oil output which was a crucial source of foreign currency.
In recent years, inflation soared with rising prices of food and beverage compounded by the U.S. dollar black market.
In April, the shortage of fuel and bread, both of which were subsidised by the government along with high prices, sparked protests which led to ousting Bashir.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.