The Economic Conference: Is There Anything New?

In the last week of November, an economic conference was convened, gathering numerous officials from various sectors and states.

It remains unclear how the conference was prepared, as the public only heard about it suddenly. No one knows who the external experts participating in the event were, as the conference’s secretariat did not disclose their names, the papers they presented, or the issues they discussed.

To our knowledge, most state institutions and economic sectors are operating at half capacity due to the war. The conference did not clarify whether its discussions focused on the current situation and how to address it or if it tackled reconstruction and rebuilding—a topic I will discuss in another article.

It seemed as if the Ministry of Finance had spent significant amounts of money simply to listen to itself and its peers in other ministries—a “solo performance,” as some might say. As is often the case in our country, where transparency is scarce, the ministry did not reveal the conference’s cost. Since the event was not included in the budget, this implies the expenses were covered by off-budget spending (reserves). Although financial regulations grant the Minister of Finance exclusive authority to spend from reserves—assuming any exist—it has been customary for finance ministers to clarify how they use this authority to avoid accusations of abuse.

Thus, the minister or their deputy should have disclosed the source of the funds spent on the conference, especially as there is no indication of any external entity contributing to its costs. If an external party did contribute or cover the conference’s expenses, this should be announced to dispel suspicions of misuse of public funds. With millions of citizens displaced across the country, it was essential to prioritize whether these funds would have been better spent on aiding the displaced rather than on a conference whose purpose remains unclear.

One notable issue here is the decline in transparency regarding public spending in recent years (even before the war). To avoid suspicion and ensure accountability, officials at the ministry must exercise the highest degree of transparency and clarify how public funds are being spent, particularly given the current absence, suspension, or extreme inefficiency of audit bodies due to the war.

From the statements made by the Minister of Finance at the end of the conference, it appears that the conference resulted in dozens of (important) recommendations that the ministry intends to implement. However, the ministry failed to publish these recommendations for public access, rendering them meaningless and insignificant. By doing so, the ministry has turned the economy—a public matter that should be accessible to all—into a closely guarded secret. Neither the private sector, the citizens, international financial institutions, nor countries interested in cooperating with Sudan are privy to these recommendations.

Making these recommendations publicly available is of paramount importance. Stakeholders have the right to know the direction the country’s economy is heading to determine how to cooperate and prioritize their dealings with Sudan. This also applies to the private sector, investors, and citizens.

It seems that there was a confusion between preparing the annual budget and organizing a conference expected to produce programs and plans outlining the direction and priorities of the economy in the upcoming phase.

No one knows why the Ministry of Finance organized this conference at this particular time or its purpose, especially as the country remains engulfed in a brutal war with no clear end in sight.

The conference left no noticeable impact among specialists or analysts because it was conducted in a hasty manner. It garnered little attention from the press or experts, as no one knows what was discussed or concluded. It seemed like a “tango dance” between the Ministry of Finance and other ministries and state governments.

To be continued…

This land is ours