Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia welcomes Palestinian leadership reforms, appointment of Hussein Al-Sheikh    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    Pope Francis laid to rest at historic funeral in Rome    Massive explosion at Iran's Shahid Rajaee Port injures over 500 people    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Over 13 million worshipers pray at Rawdah Sharif in a year    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Sudan upbeat on prospects for removal from US terrorism list
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 23 - 10 - 2019

Sudan's top financial official said on Tuesday he believed it was "just a question of time" before his country was removed from the US state-sponsored terrorism list.
Finance Minister Ibrahim Elbadawi told an event hosted by the Atlantic Council think tank that the listing posed a "crippling impediment" to the transitional government's ability to access funds from the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank.
But he said the government was working to address security concerns, while taking steps to boost internal revenues by closing tax loopholes and unwinding a big shadow economy.
Shortages of bread, fuel and medicine coupled with hefty price rises sparked protests that led to the toppling of Sudan's longtime ruler, Omar Bashir, in April, sending the economy into turmoil. The new government took office six weeks ago.
Elbadawi said after the event he was "absolutely" encouraged by his discussions with US officials and lawmakers about getting Sudan removed from the terrorism list.
"I could feel that things are moving," he said. "I could not give a specific date, but I'm quite confident that it's just a question of time."
Donald Booth, US envoy to Sudan, gave no timetable, adding: "We want to make sure that what we see as a problem isn't continuing, and it depends on how long it takes for them to do that."
Elbadawi mapped out plans to restructure Sudan's budget and tackle inflation, but leave bread and petrol subsidies in place until at least June 2020. He said the goal was to replace those subsidies — which largely benefit residents in Khartoum — with direct cash transfers to those most in need.
To smooth the transition, the government was also working to strengthen public transit in the city.
He said the government would also ask the 5-million-strong Sudanese diaspora to make deposits and shore up the central bank's reserves - an effort he said could generate $500 million. In the future, it could issue special diaspora investment bonds.
The US State Department on Monday chaired the fourth meeting of the "Friends of Sudan" group.
The group said it was backing the transitional government's plans and could hold a donors' conference in spring 2020.
Elbadawi said Sudan's debt was around $62 billion, but the new government had asked the World Bank and African Development Bank to help reach a more precise assessment.
He said the country had about $3 billion in arrears with international financial institutions.
China had been and would remain an important creditor, but Sudan was keen to "broaden the base of our partnership, notably with the United States," he said. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.