THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reached “initial agreement” with Sudan’s transitional government on how to restructure its economy, it said today.

Neither it nor the Sudanese government provided details, but the Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) warns that previous IMF recommendations have “caused great damage to the Sudanese economy” and in fact prompted the revolution of 2018-19, as an end to wheat and fuel subsidies resulted in spiralling prices.

The IMF said that its package focuses on “reducing fiscal and external deficits to contain inflation, strengthening social programmes … and improving the business environment.” Its Sudan mission leader Daniel Kanda said it envisaged “increasing domestic revenue and reforming energy subsidies,” but hoped money saved could be spent on healthcare and poor relief.