Khartoum, (SUNA) – The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan called for a shift from reliance on short-term humanitarian assistance toward long-term investment in the private sector, stressing that creating jobs and boosting production are fundamental to the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the stabilization of economic activity in the country.
Speaking at the Private Sector Recovery Dialogue Conference in Khartoum on Monday, she said Sudan’s humanitarian response received $1.9 billion in 2025, while available funding in 2026 has reached around $1.2 billion so far. She noted that although the funding remains below requirements, it has an impact on markets through local procurement and cash transfers.
She added that humanitarian aid “is not a future for the Sudanese people,” stressing that Sudanese people want to work and that Sudan possesses natural resources and a large workforce that can provide a foundation for economic recovery.
The UN Official noted that farmers face challenges related to financing, market access, transportation, and risk-mitigation mechanisms, citing farmers in South Kordofan who told her that the cost of mango packaging boxes had become higher than the value of the crop itself.
She revealed that a World Bank program used to purchase around 400,000 tons of Sudanese agricultural produce before the war, while the volume of purchases has now fallen to less than half that amount, representing a significant loss of farmers’ revenues.
The UN official linked the return of Sudanese people to the restoration of economic activity, saying that the stay of returnees requires jobs, housing, and basic services. She stressed that private investment represents the long-term pathway to economic recovery, while humanitarian assistance remains a temporary solution.
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