'Friends of Sudan' Postpones Donors’ Conference to Next June

Sudanese civilians wave their national flags during celebrations of the signing of the Sudan's power sharing deal, in Khartoum, Sudan (Reuters)
Sudanese civilians wave their national flags during celebrations of the signing of the Sudan's power sharing deal, in Khartoum, Sudan (Reuters)
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'Friends of Sudan' Postpones Donors’ Conference to Next June

Sudanese civilians wave their national flags during celebrations of the signing of the Sudan's power sharing deal, in Khartoum, Sudan (Reuters)
Sudanese civilians wave their national flags during celebrations of the signing of the Sudan's power sharing deal, in Khartoum, Sudan (Reuters)

The “Friends of Sudan” group promised to offer great support for the transitional government in Sudan to overcome the obstacles facing the country's transitional period and decided to postpone the donors' conference to June.

Sudanese Minister of Finance Ibrahim al-Badawi said: “Friends of Sudan” had agreed in the Stockholm meetings to hold the donors' conference on June 2020 and promised to disclose the sums expected to be donated to assist the government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

The Minister described the Stockholm meetings as “successful”, adding that the coming donors' conference will be held following the meeting of the societal economic conference in Sudan, scheduled for March.

Badawi affirmed that Sudan's partners and friends have promised to provide considerable support to the country, indicating that he participated earlier in meetings organized by ''Friends of Sudan'' in Sweden.

The meetings would be followed by another one in Paris during which specified commitments are expected to be announced for the donors' conference scheduled for the first half of next June, according to the Minister.

Badawi stressed that donor countries can now extend their contribution after consultations with concerned ministries.

The “Friends of Sudan” was established in 2018 as an informal group, then it gained official status after the outbreak of the revolution in 2019. It includes a group of countries and organizations committed to joint action to provide support to the transitional government in the country.

Meanwhile, a member of the Transitional Sovereign Council of Sudan, Siddiq Tawer, inaugurated Tuesday the 5th International Mining Business Forum and Exhibition in Khartoum, with the participation of 55 international companies.

Tawer called for promoting the mining sector in Sudan by taking advantage of modern technologies, adding that this year’s conference takes place in light of new political and economic conditions after the December revolution.

The official pointed out that the civil mining is one of the challenges that affect the environment, and this sector needs to be managed in a special way that provides alternatives to transition to a more productive and harmless field for the environment and health of workers.

He cautioned against using the cheap technology that destroys the environment, explaining that the transitional government's strategy focuses on training and providing job opportunities for young people.

The three-day forum is organized by the Sudanese Ministry of Energy and Mining, represented by the Public Authority for Geological Research, and seeks to develop the sector and attract investments.

Also at the conference, the Sudanese Minister of Energy and Mining, Adel Ali Ibrahim hoped 2020 will be a year for mining, stressing that with efforts between the relevant authorities, the mining sector will occupy the leading and pioneering role in the Sudanese economy.



Egypt Targets 10 mln Ton Wheat Harvest

A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
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Egypt Targets 10 mln Ton Wheat Harvest

A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
A farmer shows wheat plants at a field in Al Fayoum Governorate, southwest of Cairo, Egypt March 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo

Egypt expects to harvest 10 million tonnes of wheat this year, up from 9 million in 2023, driven by improved crop yields and ambitious land reclamation efforts, Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk told Reuters late on Wednesday.

He said 3.1175 million feddans (about 1.30 million hectares) have been cultivated this season — slightly lower than the 3.5 million feddans announced earlier by the planning ministry and 3.2 million feddans in 2024 (1.34 million hectares), suggesting a possible decline in total wheat area.

Farmers have told Reuters that wheat has become less profitable compared to crops like beet, whose area increased from 500,000 feddans (210,000 hectares) to 700,000 feddans (294,000 hectares) this year.

The government plans to buy 4-5 million tonnes of local wheat and import about 6 million tonnes to provide heavily subsidised bread for over 69 million Egyptians.

Farouk said newer high-yield wheat strains developed by the Agricultural Research Center have raised productivity by 7-8.5%.

"This is vertical expansion, and horizontal expansion is coming," he said.

That horizontal expansion is led by the Mostakbal Misr for Sustainable Development, which plans to reclaim 4 million feddans across the country.

Farouk said some of that land is ready for production and the rest will follow in the next two years, offering major opportunities for agricultural investment.

Mostakbal Misr, recently tasked with wheat imports, is also developing infrastructure and growing crops tailored to local consumption, exports and agri-processing, Farouk said..

Farouk added the government is studying a potential rise in local fertilizer prices. Urea and nitrate fertilizers cost around 9,500 Egyptian pounds ($185) per tonne to produce but are sold at a subsidized 4,500 ($87.63). Export prices reach up to 20,000 pounds ($389.48), Farouk said.