The researcher in international relations and political economy in Cairo, Abu Bakr al-Deeb, estimated the bill for the violent confrontations that are taking place between the army forces and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, at nearly half a billion dollars daily, stressing that their results will be very negative at the level of macroeconomic indicators, as well as the standard of living of the people who It is suffering under the pressures and repercussions of local and international crises, increased rates of poverty and inflation, power outages and lack of water supplies.
Al-Deeb added to “Okaz” that the Sudanese economy has been suffering for years from structural problems, weakness in production, smuggling and corruption, which has been reflected in the deterioration of the economy, and in the event of continued armed escalation between the two military components, international financing institutions will not release any aid, in addition to economic sanctions. imposed on him by the United States of America, which exceeded 40 billion and 531 million dollars, indicating that Sudan’s gross domestic product amounted to 34.3 billion dollars, at the end of 2021, according to estimates by the World Bank, and that the economic growth rate reached 0.3% at the end of 2022, according to estimates The Central Bank of Sudan, and the current events that would negatively affect the gross domestic product and push it to decline, and harm millions of Sudanese, considering Sudan the third largest producer of gold in Africa.
The researcher in international relations noted that the devaluation of the Sudanese pound was one of the most prominent and difficult steps taken by the country, within the framework of a series of reforms implemented by a civilian transitional government under the supervision of the International Monetary Fund. The Sudanese economy has been suffering for two years under inflationary stagnation, the continuous rise in food prices and unrest. This led to a rise in inflation, an increase in poverty, hunger and unemployment rates, warning that the continuation of the armed conflict in Sudan would affect the exchange rate of the local currency, the prosperity of the black market, and damage to the infrastructure in general.
It is noteworthy that in 2021 Sudan benefited from the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative, and its foreign debts were reduced from $77.2 billion in 2020 to $62.4 billion in 2021, but the deterioration of the political situation in the country at the end of 2021 disrupted the results of this initiative, as well. Negotiations with the Paris Club member states were frozen, bringing the poverty rate to 46.5%.
Mohamed Hefny (Cairo)
