Sudan
has had one of the highest growth
rates amongst Sub-Saharan African
countries and a rapidly rising per
capita income, with per capita GDP
of US$1,500. Nonetheless, the country’s
human development outcomes remain
weak. The road to sustainable broad-based
development in Sudan has been hampered
by a number of country-specific challenges
that render Sudan’s experience
unique from other post-conflict countries
in the region. Since its independence
in 1956, Sudan has mired in several
conflicts, with the exception of 1972-1983;
the period after the Addis Ababa Peace
Agreement was signed.
These conflicts have led to huge loss
of life and have severely debilitated
the country’s capacity for development.
The past and ongoing conflicts pose
human and governance challenges in
Sudan. The people and Government of
Sudan will need to build institutions
for peace and development and shift
resources and attention from war to
investing in the future.
The government of Sudan and the concerned
international, regional and local
partners are driving the resources
and the capacities to support the
country to overcome the challenges
that face its people. The International
Economic Conference on Sudan is considered
as an opportunity for the so mentioned
stakeholders to determine a partnership
framework that can effectively help
Sudan.
The diversification of exports, including
the revival of traditional exports
such as cotton, and the development
of non-traditional, non-oil exports
is imperative for sustained growth
and employment creation in Sudan.
The productive sector in general and
the agriculture sector in particular
have been neglected in Sudan following
the advent of oil since the early
2000. Sudan’s growth process
has been unbalanced, with the majority
of its manufacturing firms and irrigated
land concentrated in the center with
a huge disparity in the development
indicators between the best and worst
performing regions in Sudan.
The low growth of employment, increasing
unemployment and low levels of productivity
remain at the root of high and persistent
levels of poverty in the Sudan. Agriculture
continues to be the main source of
employment for the majority of the
labor force. In rural areas, about
50% of the rural labor force is engaged
in agricultural activities.
Sudan is highly indebted country where
the debt stock reached nearly US$38
billion by the end of 2010. Such a
huge debt burden has far reaching
implication on the growth agenda,
poverty reduction and realizing MDGs.
The resulting heavy debt burden compounded
by the renewed sanction has direct
bearings on the evolution of the Sudanese
economy and its prospects. According
to the analysis of the World Bank
and the IMF, the external debt of
Sudan is unsustainable. That means
that Sudan cannot service the debt
and make progress on reducing poverty
and achieving the MDGs. The Government
of Sudan is currently negotiating
the apportionment of the stock of
external debt with the Government
of South Sudan (GoSS).
Sudan has recently issued its Interim
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP)
with the objective of securing debt
relief and channel the resources saved
from debt relief to priority poverty-reduction
and growth enhancing infrastructure
sectors. Thus, a resolution to the
debt problem will improve prospects
for sustained growth, employment creation,
poverty reduction and achieving the
MDGs.
MDG 1 Eradicate Extreme Poverty
and Hunger
• The incidence of poverty in
North Sudan stood at 46.5%. The poverty
gap ratio and the poverty severity
index stood at 16.2% and 7.8% %, respectively.
This signifies how deep and severe
poverty is in North Sudan.
• The incidence of poverty ranges
from a little over a quarter of the
population in the capital (Khartoum)
to more than two thirds of the population
in Northern Darfur.
• About 44.8% of the population
of North Sudan are consuming below
food poverty line of 69 SDG per month.
Food poverty index is higher in rural
(55%) than urban areas (28%).
• The overall inequality measured
by Gini coefficient is estimated at
0.353 which is quite moderate compared
to countries with similar level of
development in SSA and the Middle
East. Though there is disparity in
income between rural and urban areas,
there is no significant difference
in the magnitude of the Gini Coefficient
for rural (0.331) and urban (0.329)
areas. While Gini coefficient is 0.31
in Northern Region, it is 0.38 in
Darfur and 0.36 in Kordofan indicating
poverty reduction will be difficult
in regions with high income inequality
such as Darfur and Kordofan.
• Employment-to-population rate
stood at 31.06% and unemployment rate
stood at 17%. Youth (15-24) unemployment
rate stood at 25.4%.
• The nutrition situation in
Sudan is poor, characterized by high
levels of underweight and chronic
malnutrition, as well as persistently
elevated levels of acute malnutrition.
Nationally, one third (32.2%) of children
under the age of five years in Sudan
is moderately or severely underweight
Indicators
|
Sudan |
2015
Target |
Estimated poverty incidence
(% of total population)
|
46.5% |
23% |
Prevalence
of child malnutrition (underweight
for age; % under 5)
|
32.2% |
16% |
Proportion
of population below minimum
level of dietary energy consumption
|
28% |
14% |
MDG 2 Achieve Universal Primary
Education
• The net primary school enrolment
rate for the population 6-13 years
old in Sudan is 67%.
• There is a significant difference
between urban and rural population
for net primary school enrolment with
rates 82% and 60% respectively. Highest
net primary school enrolment rate
per state is 85 in Khartoum. Kassala
and Western Darfur are the states
with the lowest net primary school
enrolment rates with 48% and 54% respectively.
• The net secondary school enrolment
rate for the population 14-16 years
old in Sudan is 22%.
• For the urban population,
the net secondary enrolment rate is
37% compared to the rural population
rate of 14%. The highest net secondary
enrolment rates per state were reported
in River Nile and Khartoum States
with 41% and 37% respectively.
• The lowest net are in Southern
Kordofan and Kassala States with rates
9% and 11% respectively.
• 62% of the population 15 years
old or more in Sudan is literate.
Urban literacy reached 79% of the
population in this age group compared
to 51% of the rural population.
• The range of the literacy
rate spans from 81% in Khartoum State
to 44% and 46% in Western Darfur and
Kassala States respectively.
• The literacy gender gap ratio
for the population 15 years and above
is 0.71 with 73% of the male population
literate compared to 52 percent of
the females.
Indicators
|
Sudan |
2015
Target |
Gross primary enrolment ratio
|
67% |
100% |
Adult
literacy rate
|
62% |
25% |

MDG
3 Promote Gender Equality and Empower
Women
• The net primary school
enrolment rate for the population
6-13 years old in Sudan was 69% for
males and 64% females. For secondary
education it was 21% males and 23%
females.
• In terms of labor force participation,
males constitute 38.3% while the share
of females stood at 14.1%. According
to the available recent data, unemployment
among men stood at 13 % compared to
20% for women.
• Women occupy 28% of the seats
in the newly elected parliament in
2010. Accordingly, proportion of women
in the national legislative council
increased from 10% in 2004 to 25%
in the recently elected assembly.
Indicators
|
Sudan |
2015
Target |
Ratio girls to boys in primary
education
|
64%
to 69% |
- |
Share
of women in employment in the
non-agricultural sectors
|
59% |
- |
Percentage
of women in National Assembly/Council
of States
|
28% |
- |

MDG 4 Reduce Child Mortality
• Pneumonia, malaria, diarrhea,
and malnutrition usually still represent
the major causes of under-five illness
and deaths.
• The result of SHHS (2010)
showed clear decline in IMR in Sudan,
where IMR it declined from nearly
80/1000 LB in mid 1990s to 57/1000
LB in 2010
• Under five Mortality Rate
in Sudan was estimated at 130/1000
L.B in mid 1990s, it declined to 102/1000
L.B in 2006 (SHHS 2006), and finally
stood at 78/1000 L.B in 2010 (SHHS
2010)
• The proportion of mothers
who breast feed their newborns has
increased from 37% in 2006 to 40%
in 2010
Indicators
|
Sudan |
2015
Target |
Under-5
mortality rate (per 1,000) |
78 |
41 |
Infant
mortality rate (per 1,000 live
births) |
57 |
53 |
One-year-olds
immunized against measles |
85% |
100% |
MDG 5 Improve Maternal Health
• The most recent survey (SHHS
2010) estimated maternal mortality
rate (216/100.000 LB) at national
level (225/100,000 rural and 194/100,000
urban).
• Delivery by trained personnel
in Sudan stood at 72% (89% urban &
66 rural) in 2010 compared with 57%
in 2006.
• Contraceptive prevalence rate
is very low in Sudan. The most recent
survey shows that only 9% of currently
married women are using any form of
contraceptive.
• The total fertility rate was
estimated at 5.6 in 2010 SHHS while
it was 5.1 births per woman (SHHS
2006) with marked differences between
urban and rural areas.
Indicators
|
Sudan |
2015
Target |
Maternal mortality ratio (per
100,000 live births)
|
216 |
134 |
Birth
attended by skilled health staff
|
72% |
90% |
Contraceptive
prevalence rate (current use) |
9% |
- |
Adolescent
birth rate (12-14) years |
|
- |
Antenatal
care coverage (at least one
visit and at least four visits |
70% |
- |

MDG 6 Combat HIV Aids, Malaria and
other diseases
• The estimated HIV prevalence
among the general population 15-49
years in North Sudan is 0.67%.
• The average HIV prevalence
rate among pregnant women attending
antenatal care (ANC) is 0.19%
• Only 4% of the respondents
knew all the three ways to prevent
HIV transmission in Sudan.
• Malaria is a leading cause
of morbidity and mortality in Sudan.
• Malaria is a leading cause
of morbidity and mortality in Sudan.
Symptomatic malaria accounts for 17.5
of out-patients clinic visits and
approximately 11% of hospital admissions
• All states except Blue Nile
(12.5%) and West Darfur (7.1%) reported
prevalence of less than 3%.
• In Sudan, the percentage of
households with at least one Insecticide
Treated Net (ITNs) stood at 41%.
• Prevalence of all forms of
TB in Sudan is 120 per 100,000 population
or 37073 cases and the actual detected
were 22,097 (59.6%)
• The actual detected were 8572
cases. This means a case detection
rate of 46.2%.
Indicators
|
Sudan |
2015
Target |
HIV prevalence among population
aged 15-24 years
|
0.5%
males & 1.24% females |
- |
Proportion
of population aged 15-24 years
with comprehensive correct knowledge
of HIV/AIDS
|
4%
(all the three ways to prevent
HIV transmission in Sudan) |
- |
Proportion
of population with advanced
HIV infection with access to
antiretroviral drugs
|
13.1% |
- |
Incidence
and death rates associated with
malaria
|
3.1
million reported cases
8,844 death cases
|
- |
Proportion
of children under 5 sleeping
under insecticide-treated bed
nets
|
41% |
- |
Incidence,
prevalence and death rates associated
with tuberculosis
|
120
Per 100,000 |
- |
Proportion
of tuberculosis cases detected
and cured under directly observed
treatment short course
|
81.8% |
- |
MDG 7 Integrate the principles of
sustainable development into
country policies and programmes; reverse
loss of environmental resources
• Sudan is endowed with huge
and diversified natural resources,
fertile land, natural forests, fresh
water, biodiversity, wild and domestic
animal stock, marine ecosystems, mineral
and soil resources. The country is
has faced and is being faced with
numerous environmental problems including:
desertification and land degradation,
water pollution, deforestation, soil
erosion and deterioration in biodiversity.
• Deterioration in biodiversity
and pressures on habitats are growing
with more areas opened to development
and investors. The impact of petroleum
prospecting, drilling and transport
on habitats, especially that of produced
water on migratory birds is very disturbing.
• The marine protected sites
protected areas covered approximately
10% of Sudan, including terrestrial
and marine protected areas.
• According to SHHS 2010, almost
60.1% of the households in Sudan have
access to improved drinking water
sources (66.6% in urban and 57.7%
in rural areas). Wealth index disaggregation
also showed that only 61.5% of the
poorest have access to improved drinking
water compared to 92.8% among the
richest. State disparities were also
present; it reached 91% in Northern
state, followed by Gazira and Khartoum
states at 79.2% and 72.9% respectively.
The lowest access was reported in
Red Sea (27.4%).
• According to SHHS 2010, shares
of 27.1% of the households in Sudan
have access to improved sanitation
(46.9% in urban and 17.9% in rural
areas). Wealth index disaggregation
also showed that only 2% of the poorest
have access to improved drinking water
compared to 69.8% among the richest.
State disparities were also present;
it reached 73.5% in Northern state,
followed by Khartoum states at 51.3%.
The lowest access was reported in
Blue Nile (5.3%).
Indicators
|
Sudan |
2015
Target |
Access to improved drinking
water source (% of population)
|
60.1% |
82% |
Access
to improved sanitation (% of
population)
|
27.1% |
67% |

MDG 8 Develop a Global Partnership
for development
• ODA declined from 7.2% in
2005 to 4.8% in 2008, with a sharp
decline in the growth rate from 44.7%
in 2005 to -16% in 2007 to –
5.6% in 2008.
• The recent pre-secession CPA-period
economic growth in Sudan had been
driven by oil. Oil accounted for nearly
50% of domestic revenue and 95% of
export earnings and 15% of industrial
value added. However, the non-oil
productive sector particularly agriculture
has been on the decline since the
advent of oil in the late 1990s.
• Real GDP growth rate averaged
nearly 8 percent during the nine year
period ending in 2009 and per capita
income increased from US$776 in 2004
to US$1,570.4 in 2009.
• Apart from the direct impact,
the receipts from petroleum exports
and the related sharp increases in
government revenues and expenditures
as well as inflows of foreign direct
investments (FDI) stimulated the construction
and the service sectors.
• The service sector contributed
40 percent to GDP, surpassing agriculture
as the leading sector in the economy.
Trade, hotels and restaurants have
flourished, mainly in the country’s
capital (Khartoum) and generated about
one-fifth of the GDP during 2004-2009.
• The total external debt of
Sudan in 2009 amounted to US$ 35.7
billion, showing an increase of about
US$ 2,145 billion compared to 2008.
• In Sudan the estimated Telephone
lines per 100 populations was 0.9
% of populations in 2009.
• In Sudan the estimated Cellular
subscribers per 100 population 28
% of population in 2009.
• In Sudan the estimated Internet
users per 100 populations was 10.4
% of Population in 2010.
Indicators
|
Northern
Sudan |
2015
Target |
Proportion of population with
access to affordable essential
drugs on a sustainable basis
|
Public
health sector (40%- 55%) &
private sector (90%) |
- |
Telephone
lines per 100 population
|
0.9
% of populations |
- |
Access
to improved sanitation (% of
population)
|
28
% of population |
- |
Internet
users per 100 population
|
10.4
% of Population |
- |
|