Minister of Social Welfare: 71% of Sudanese Live Below the Poverty Line
The Minister of Social Welfare, Mutasim Ahmed Saleh, announced that the poverty rate in Sudan has risen from 21% to 71% due to the ongoing war, according to official reports. He revealed that 23 million Sudanese citizens are currently living below the poverty line.
Speaking at an awareness conference in Port Sudan on Saturday, the minister said the government, despite current challenges, is working seriously to reduce poverty through productive projects and the creation of job opportunities.
He emphasized the importance of directing corporate social responsibility funds toward productive and service-oriented projects that benefit citizens, reduce poverty and unemployment, and enable the transition from relief to recovery and development. The minister also stressed the need to strengthen social security partnerships.
Saleh noted that many citizens have lost their sources of income, making it essential to activate microfinance projects. He pointed to ongoing efforts to ease loan conditions and guarantees in coordination with the Central Bank and to raise financing limits. He added that reforms would be introduced to make financing more accessible so that citizens can implement their own productive projects.
