Sudan’s NCF oppose budget amendments

The National Consensus Forces (NCF), which is part of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC), reject the amendments to the 2020 National Budget that were approved by the Cabinet and the Sovereign Council on Sunday.

In a statement yesterday, it called the approval by the government “an indifference to the national, realistic, practical and feasible alternatives presented by the Economic Committee of the FFC, and an increase of the suffering of the people by re-testing the tested”.

The NCF stated that the amendments that were approved are a complete liberalisation of prices.

The amendments include liberalisation of the prices of petrol and diesel, and an increase in electricity tariffs which will be dependent on the amount purchased.

The Sudanese Pound against the US Dollar will be devalued, from SDG55 (Central Bank of Khartoum rate) to SDG120. This is a reduction of 118 percent. The customs rate of the Dollar will be raised by 30 percent per month.

According to the NCF, these amendments are “an extension of the policies and approaches of the dictatorial regime that was removed by the Sudanese revolutionaries” last year.

The NCF is a coalition of progressive parties set up more than 10 years ago in protest against the regime of ousted President Omar Al Bashir.

Economic Committee

The Economic Committee of the Forces for Freedom and Change also rejects the 2020 budget amendments. It said “this will not be subject to discussion”.

During a well-attended meeting at the office of the Sudanese Baath Party, part of the NCF, in Khartoum, the Economic Committee explained that the amendments are “a continuation of previously tried and tested policies”. They “express the orientations of international creditors and financiers, and serve the interests and privileges of parasitic capitalism at the expense of the people's aspirations and national interests”.

Members of the Economic Committee said that they met with the acting Minister of Finance, Heba Ali, and Adam Hereika, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister, before the amendments were approved by the government and the Sovereign Council. The committee members formally requested them not to submit the budget amendments for approval without prior discussions with the FFC.

On Monday morning, the rate of the US Dollar against the Sudanese Pound at the parallel market in Khartoum rose from SDG147 to SDG149.

Radio Dabanga’s editorial independence means that we can continue to provide factual updates about political developments to Sudanese and international actors, educate people about how to avoid outbreaks of infectious diseases, and provide a window to the world for those in all corners of Sudan. Support Radio Dabanga for as little as €2.50, the equivalent of a cup of coffee.