Bashir calls for African economic independence

August 21, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir has urged the finance ministers and central banks governors of the African bloc to declare the economic independence of the continent, saying that Africa has huge natural and human resources which qualify it to emerge as a new economic power.

Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al-Beshir (C) stands among speakers before the opening of the African bloc meetings of finance ministers and central bank governors on August 21, 2013 in the Sudanese capital Khartoum (ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP/Getty Images)

Bashir, who was speaking at the opening session of the African bloc meetings of Finance Ministers and Central Bank governors on Wednesday in Khartoum, called for attracting foreign investments and offering grants and loans to achieve sustainable development.
“Sudan’s doors are wide open for foreign investments in all sectors, specifically agriculture and infrastructure”, he said
The Sudanese leader also pointed to the importance of allocating adequate resources for job creation and woman development.
Bashir noted that Africans suffers from poverty, hunger and lack of funding for infrastructure which hinders development and therefore necessitates cooperation among African countries to work within the International monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) to remove all obstacles.
He added that Sudan looks forward to seeing tangible results which could help achieve the desired economic growth, pointing to the importance of human resource development.
The meeting, which lasts for two days, discusses economic and development issues of the African continent and dealing with the IMF and the WB on how to help these countries to fight poverty and achieve development and economic growth.
Sudan’s Minister of Finance and National Economy who is also the Chairman of African Central Bank governors, Ali Mahmood Abdel-Rasool has described the meeting "as opportunity for Sudan to present its economic policies and contributions in Africa".
Abdel-Rasool was quoted by state media as saying that that the conference will review major issues concerning energy, infrastructures and agriculture, noting that Sudan is an agricultural country and in need of infrastructure in that sector .
He disclosed that Sudan is now implementing a joint project with the WB in the fields of agriculture and energy pointing out that Sudan has good experience in building of dams and power generation.
(ST)