Expert Warns of Economic Reform Program’s Impact on Citizens

Sudan Events – Rehab Abdullah

Experts have expressed concerns that the economic reform program being prepared by the Ministry of Finance may negatively impact citizens’ livelihoods by imposing new taxes and fees.

Dr. Mohamed Al-Jack Suleiman, an expert at the Industrial Research and Consultancy Center, echoed these concerns. Speaking to Al-Ahdath, he stated that in any war-torn country, it is a given that increasing state revenues requires measures that do not harm citizens. These include boosting non-oil revenues—such as taxes, fees, and investments in non-oil sectors located in conflict areas that are now inaccessible due to rebel control, tribal influence, or regional power structures.

Al-Jack noted the importance of improving tax collection, reducing tax evasion, combating nepotism and corruption, ensuring tax inclusivity across all economic activities, and ending exemptions for all sectors to enhance revenue efficiency.

Among his recommendations were improving diplomatic relations, adopting rational and pragmatic political approaches to attract foreign investments in various sectors such as industry, agriculture, tourism, health, education, and infrastructure. He emphasized the importance of creating jobs, encouraging entrepreneurship among youth and women, stimulating economic growth, and increasing revenues while supporting vulnerable groups—such as poor families, the elderly, children, and women—to ensure they are not further affected by the war.

He called for long-term financial planning based on real resource investment, avoiding exaggeration, and cooperating with other countries and international organizations to receive technical and logistical support. This includes passing legislation that minimizes waste and corruption, making optimal use of available resources, boosting exports, and integrating revenues into the formal economy through documented banking systems and ending off-the-books revenue collection.

Al-Jack stressed that the most critical first step in any reform program is improving the management of public resources, reducing waste, and fighting corruption at both financial and institutional levels to ensure effective use of resources.