Port Sudan, November 9 (Darfur24)
Sudan’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Welfare, Mutasim Ahmed Saleh, said on Saturday that the poverty rate in Sudan has risen from 21% to 71% as a result of the ongoing war.
Speaking at a press conference held by the Sudan News Agency in Port Sudan, the minister stated that an estimated 23 million Sudanese are now living below the poverty line.
He added that the government will work to reduce poverty by creating job opportunities and supporting productive projects, noting the need to direct social responsibility funds towards service and development programs rather than temporary humanitarian relief.
Saleh stated that many Sudanese have lost their sources of income due to the conflict, which requires expanding access to microfinance and revising financing mechanisms so citizens can start small-scale productive activities.
The conflict has caused widespread destruction to infrastructure and livelihoods across rural and urban areas. According to humanitarian assessments, 21.2 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity, with famine already recorded in El Fasher and Kadugli, amid warnings that it could spread to 22 areas in Darfur and Kordofan.