At the Sudan Reconstruction Forum in London… The Language of Interests, Not Charity

As I See 

From London – Adel El-Baz

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For the first time in Europe, I walked into an economic conference hall feeling proud and dignified.

In the past, whenever I entered halls hosting such conferences, I was overwhelmed by a bitter sense of inferiority and humiliation. You felt as though you were entering like any beggar — hand extended downward — with barely a shred of dignity left.

I felt this at the Oslo conference following the Naivasha Agreement, then again at conferences in Paris and Berlin. You would walk in feeling as though you were seeking rescue or begging for donations, and after all that humiliation, the outcome was always zero.

What changed this time was not only the form of the conference, but Sudan’s position — first and foremost in its own eyes. We are no longer standing in the queue of sympathy; we are standing on the platform of interests. This is the difference between a state seeking aid and a state that understands the value of its resources and negotiates accordingly. Now we are speaking the language the world understands and listens to: the language of deals, not donations. In my view, this is remarkable progress.

This forum, held yesterday in central London, was built on the idea that Sudan is an “opportunity” the world should seize. This shift alone is enough to change how investors deal with us — and how we deal with ourselves.

This time was entirely different. As I entered the hall of the “Sudan Reconstruction Forum in London” the day before yesterday, I felt proud. This was a Sudanese-British economic conference — not about donations or relief, but about business. I felt happy and proud to attend a gathering that included economic companies, genuine Sudanese business leaders, traders, and industrialists, alongside British business leaders. This is what befits us.

What the Sudanese Embassy in London achieved was not merely a tremendous effort to hold this conference at the right time — it was a smart effort that transcended old narratives of “begging” and moved toward modern, effective business partnerships. The problem was never just the world; it was also how we presented ourselves to the world. Donations and relief may provide temporary support, but they do not build economies, factories, roads, or ports. Only investment partnerships build nations.

The conference was outstanding not only in concept, but also in organization, preparation, participating sectors, and the high-quality business attendance that filled the hall. However, what impressed me most was the participation of young people on the main platform, offering valuable contributions, advanced awareness, and modern ideas that added real value to the forum. We can be proud of a new generation of business leaders and researchers who clearly follow their country’s issues with seriousness and engagement. Youth participation here is not merely a “nice detail”; it is a strategic message: Sudan does not only possess natural resources — it possesses human capital capable of leading a modern economy with a new language, new thinking, and new confidence.

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“The Greatest Opportunity Is Here”: Sudan and Unprecedented Investment Returns

The conference put forward a core idea: “The greatest opportunity is here now.”

The forum presented a clear vision across six strategic sectors: mining and gold, agriculture and food industries, energy (oil and gas), ports and logistics services, telecommunications and digital services, and infrastructure and reconstruction.

All these sectors offer investment opportunities rarely available elsewhere, with profit margins difficult to achieve in other countries. Young researcher Ahmed Babiker (from Oxford) noted that they recently analyzed risk-adjusted returns on investment in Egypt at about 20%. Applying the same analysis to Sudan produced results of around 40%, potentially reaching 50%.

This occurs within a flexible economy built on vast resources and strong adaptive capacity. Paradoxically, the war — despite its brutality — revealed the true nature of the Sudanese economy: an economy that does not die, but adapts and regenerates itself under the harshest conditions. This is not merely a temporary advantage, but a sign of rare resilience among emerging markets.

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An Economy That Adapts During War — Not After It

Amal Wajdi Mirghani delivered a notable intervention on the Sudanese economy’s rapid adaptive capacity. She pointed to the massive shift of investment toward regional states, particularly in agriculture and industry, as well as the digital transformation that accompanied the war, with digital applications becoming widely used in commercial transactions.

She accurately noted that agricultural, industrial, and digital sectors did not wait for a “post-war phase” — they began rebuilding during the war itself. She emphasized that agriculture will remain Sudan’s long-term competitive advantage. Farmers and agricultural companies responded strongly to challenges and began injecting direct investments into safer regions. She also noted that some farmers in states such as Gedaref have begun establishing independent infrastructure, including private airports — a sign of strategic transformation away from total reliance on Khartoum.

In the energy sector, adaptation was equally rapid. Amin Ahmed Abdel Latif noted that the solar energy market jumped from roughly $10 million annually before the war to more than $500 million in 2025 — a shift he described as “sharp and sudden.”

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Financing: Where Will the Hundreds of Billions Come From?

Many questions raised during the conference are addressed in the special supplement accompanying this issue. But the most pressing question was: how can reconstruction plans requiring hundreds of billions be financed?

Professor Naji Idris provided a strong answer, noting the enormous global liquidity available for deployment, including:

• The London insurance market, worth approximately $301 billion.
• Pension funds worth about $3.3 trillion, expected to reach $4.09 trillion by 2031.
• UK Export Finance provided nearly $20 billion in financing last year and pledged another $20 billion, bringing total credit and financing guarantees to about $80 billion.
• Globally, Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) have financing capacity of about $2.5 trillion this year, expected to reach $3 trillion within a few years.

He also noted Sudan’s history of working with entities such as SACE/Socodis and export support funds, in addition to institutions such as Afreximbank and others.

Young participant Youssef Majid Youssef suggested using oil and gold reserves as collateral, with liquidity coming from international partners. Dr. Nizar Ibrahim also presented models such as BOT and PPP frameworks.

FDI… Sudan’s Realistic Option

Despite repeated references to abundant global financing, there appeared to be implicit agreement among speakers that priority should be given to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). FDI provides long-term flows that support production, create jobs, transfer expertise and technology, and develop industrial and service sectors.

We now know that capital exists worldwide. Africa alone attracted around $30 billion in such flows last year. The opportunities are vast — but they will not remain open forever. If this moment is not managed properly, and if a unified and transparent legal environment is not established, capital will go where stability is found faster — even if returns are lower.

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Conclusion: Sudan Needs a Unified Vision

Let me conclude with a key call made during the conference: To achieve full reconstruction, attract investors, and mobilize international and regional financing, Sudan must develop a unified and cohesive national vision — similar to Saudi Vision 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030 — supported by Sudanese experts and potentially global consulting firms. This will help ensure clarity and direction as Sudan moves forward on the path of reconstruction.

Finally…

What happened in London was not just a conference. It was an early declaration that Sudan can transition from a war economy to an opportunity economy — from a state waiting for aid to a state building partnerships.

This is the real battle: redefining Sudan before the world.

My sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone who made this unique gathering possible, especially the dedicated embassy team, led by Ambassador Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, whose commitment and patriotism were evident throughout. Thank you for everything, and for this remarkable conference where information and ideas flowed to establish practical approaches and lasting concepts — pointing clearly to a third path: not charity and donations, but smart business partnerships — more beneficial, and more dignified.