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This event took place on September 30, 2021

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00:01 [Annual Meetings 2021]
00:41 [Kholood Khair] Hello and a warm welcome
00:42 to our audience here in Khartoum, Sudan
00:45 and to our viewers around the world.
00:47 My name is Kholood Khair
00:48 and I am the Managing Partner of Insight Strategy Partners,
00:51 a think tank here in Sudan
00:53 and a host of Spotlight 249 on Capital Radio.
00:58 I will be your host and moderator.
01:00 Before I introduce our speakers, a few words about the event.
01:04 As we all know, there isn't a single country
01:07 that has not been affected by COVID-19.
01:09 The pandemic has turned our world upside down
01:11 and enabled us to question many norms and assumptions.
01:15 As big of a challenge as it has been,
01:17 it has also provided us with important lessons
01:19 and we have learned to adapt, fight and survive.
01:23 The pandemic has clearly shown us how interdependent we all are
01:26 and that we are not immune to goings on
01:29 on the other side of the world.
01:30 While we have striven to become stronger and more resilient,
01:33 we have also learned the importance of having a common goal
01:36 and working in partnership to address the challenges
01:39 we are faced with.
01:41 This is the focus of the World Bank Group's 2021 Annual Meetings
01:44 scheduled to take place the week of October 11
01:48 and will convene global leaders from across government,
01:51 business and civil society for this important conversation.
01:55 To set the stage for these meetings, we will hear today from
01:57 World Bank Group President David Malpass
02:00 on how countries can work together
02:02 and support each other to achieve sustainable economic growth,
02:05 shared prosperity and crisis preparedness.
02:08 Before hearing from David, we will hear from his excellency
02:11 Dr Abdalla Hamdok, prime minister of the Republic of Sudan.
02:15 Your excellency the floor is yours.
03:03 [Inaudible speech]
03:11 [Inaudible speech]
03:15 [Inaudible speech]
03:17 [Abdalla Hamdok] Excellency David Malpass,
03:19 President of the World Bank Group,
03:21 Regional Vice President of the World Bank,
03:25 Regional Vice President of IFC,
03:28 Ministers, Leaders and Representatives of Academia,
03:33 Political Parties, Civil Society, Private Sector and Youth,
03:40 Heads and Representatives of Diplomatic Missions,
03:45 Regional and International Organizations,
03:47 distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen.
03:51 It is a great honor for Sudan and Africa
03:58 that you Mr. President is delivering your annual positioning speech
04:06 here in Khartoum, within walking distance of
04:11 the confluence of the Nile,
04:14 which has seen the ebb and flow of history for millennia.
04:21 It is indeed a historical moment.
04:25 Today reminds us of the visit by President Robert McNamara,
04:34 who came nearly 50 years ago.
04:38 He wanted to ensure that
04:41 the 1972 Addis Ababa Peace Agreement,
04:47 which ended one of Africa's longest civil wars,
04:52 was anchored on prosperity, political stability
04:58 and economic development.
05:01 Again, your visit comes at another pivotal moment in Sudan history.
05:10 The December Revolution of 2018 was led by women and youth
05:15 who demanded a decisive break from the past decades
05:22 of conflict, isolation, authoritarianism and corruption.
05:29 Our collective ambition is to end internal conflict
05:35 once and for all,
05:38 to create justice and accountability
05:40 and to emerge from the transitional period
05:44 as a full-fledged democracy and an anchor of stability in this region.
05:54 We have no doubts that this transition
05:58 can only succeed if it is anchored on
06:02 economic prosperity for all the Sudanese,
06:08 irrespective of gender, geography, race, religion and income level.
06:18 We know our economy requires deep, fundamental reforms
06:25 to reform distortions, strengthen economic governance,
06:30 establish stability and unleash the private sector.
06:37 I must say as a critical observer,
06:42 as a president of the World Bank over the years,
06:45 I can say the Bank has evolved to a point of accepting
06:52 and tolerating Policy difference,
06:56 national ownership and partnership
06:59 within the context of the Global Convergence of Development Thinking.
07:07 As we launched our homegrown economic reform in 2020,
07:13 we appreciate the fact that the World Bank stepped forward
07:19 to support us and encourage others to do so.
07:24 We're grateful to all countries
07:26 that help Sudan reach the HIPC Decision Point
07:33 and The Paris Club agreement
07:35 and we are fully cognizant
07:38 of the active role of the World Bank for this to happen.
07:43 We thank you for that.
07:45 Moreover, the World Bank contributed over 3 billion US dollars package
07:53 of projects and programs to support
07:57 agriculture, water, transport, electricity, health care, education,
08:04 Family Support Program and many other priorities.
08:08 IFC is also now engaged in identifying private engagements and investments.
08:17 Our reforms have begun to bear fruits despite
08:23 the challenges of COVID-19, floods and influx of refugees
08:29 from neighboring countries.
08:32 Inflation declined in August by 35 percent.
08:37 Our currency has stabilized.
08:40 Our trade deficit declined to 1.2 billion US dollars
08:47 in the first half of 2021,
08:51 compared to 2.1 billion US dollars in the first half of 2020.
09:01 Non-oil exports are higher.
09:04 Remittances increased from 136 million the first half of 2020
09:14 to 717 million US dollars the first half of this year,
09:21 and bank deposits and financing are increasing.
09:25 Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen,
09:29 there is a still steep path to attain our goals.
09:35 many families lost their livelihoods,
09:40 millions of children lost a full year of schooling
09:45 and there is increasing pressure
09:47 on already weak service delivery mechanisms
09:52 To sustain the gains and address the challenges,
09:56 we must progress in a number of important areas.
10:01 We need to strengthen our economic governance,
10:04 including ensuring that non-security state enterprises are
10:10 under the transparent governance of the Ministry of Finance.
10:15 We also need to rebuild an effective civil service
10:20 based on merits and focus on results.
10:24 We must develop our human capital
10:27 and ensure every girl, boy, woman and man,
10:34 in every part of the country,
10:37 has an opportunity to lead a life which is safe, healthy and productive.
10:46 To do so, we need to empower the youth today
10:51 and future generations with appropriate education and skills,
10:56 establish efficient social service delivery systems
11:01 and create meaningful jobs.
11:04 We want to leverage technology to leapfrog and rebuild
11:10 our infrastructure and financial sector,
11:14 and we want to develop the long-neglected,
11:18 marginalized parts of Sudan.
11:22 Our goal is to ensure that reforms lead to
11:25 equitable and sustainable growth and prosperity.
11:30 Excellencies, distinguish guests, ladies and gentlemen.
11:34 We have an opportunity to put Sudan back
11:38 on a strong growth trajectory.
11:41 Sudan is endowed with great national natural and human resources.
11:47 From the coastal stretch of the Red Sea in the East
11:53 to the forest of Gum Arabic in the west,
11:56 Sudan is rich in fertile land, water and minerals.
12:03 Sudan has about 10 percent of the world's available arable land.
12:09 The third largest exporter of gold in Africa and eighth in the world,
12:16 among the largest livestock resources in Africa,
12:19 and 80 percent of its land can generate the highest levels
12:25 of solar and wind energy.
12:28 But our greatest wealth lies in our human capital,
12:32 a large young population with brave and determined
12:37 young women and men are working to build a Sudan
12:43 that is diverse, democratic, just and prosperous.
12:49 The Transitional Government is committed to laying
12:53 a strong foundation for a bright future
12:57 for all our citizens of this great country.
13:01 This will require immense investments,
13:04 financial and technical resources,
13:06 the active engagement of the private sector,
13:11 and the continued support of the international partners.
13:16 The Sudanese people have borne a very high cost of the reform
13:23 and we cannot take their patience for granted.
13:28 We want to reach the point and very soon at which results
13:36 will be felt by ordinary Sudanese.
13:40 We want to build the necessary confidence
13:44 for the private sector to invest and create jobs and prosperity.
13:49 To conclude, we have indeed inherited
13:55 an extremely challenging situation of a country
13:58 that has struggled with conflict
14:02 for most of its 65 years of independence.
14:06 The last 30 years were exceptionally challenging.
14:10 Our journey has so many challenges and risks,
14:15 but we are determined and committed to make a break
14:20 with our past and work towards achieving lasting peace,
14:26 sustainable development and democracy
14:30 that meets the hopes and aspirations of our people.
14:34 I thank you for your kind attention. Thank you.
14:52 [Kholood Khair] Thank you very much for excellency.
14:53 It's more important now more than ever
14:56 to build coalitions and global confidence
14:58 in Sudan's civilian led transition.
15:00 I'll now ask World Bank Group's President David Malpass
15:04 to make his pre-annual meeting speech.
15:06 David the floor is yours.
15:24 [David Malpass] Thank you very much Kholood.
15:28 I want to give a great thanks to Prime Minister Hamdok
15:33 for the warm introduction, it's so nice to see you after 2 years,
15:39 our last meeting was in The US
15:43 and there's been so many developments in the world.
15:46 It ¡s good to see you again.
15:48 Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a great pleasure for me
15:52 to be speaking today from Africa,
15:55 particularly in these challenging times for the continent and the world.
16:00 It’s even more special to be here in Sudan's Friendship Hall
16:05 at this historic time, near the confluence of the Nile river
16:10 as the Prime Minister said.
16:13 Over the past few years, you have made a tremendous effort
16:16 to put people on a forward path, amid very adverse conditions.
16:22 Two years ago, Sudan's transitional government
16:24 inherited a deeply damaged economy and society
16:29 that had suffered decades of conflict and isolation.
16:32 Even as the people resolved to break with the past,
16:37 Sudan faced extraordinary headwinds,
16:41 from the COVID-19 pandemic, a locust plague, unprecedented floods,
16:48 and an inflow of refugees escaping conflict
16:52 from across the border.
16:53 Yet the country pressed forward with bold reforms,
16:57 re-engaging with the international community,
17:00 clearing World Bank arrears with the help of a U.S. bridge loan,
17:04 and in June reaching the decision point for
17:07 the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative, HIPC as it's called.
17:12 I welcome Sudan's progress in macroeconomic stabilization,
17:17 including arrears clearance, unification of its exchange rate,
17:21 slowing inflation, which I discussed with the Finance Minister
17:26 fewer shortages, and removal of fuel subsidies.
17:31 I have the great privilege to meet with several of the ministers,
17:36 even today, and that's been a great pleasure.
17:41 While there is much work ahead, I commend the Sudanese authorities,
17:46 civil and military, for their efforts and achievements
17:50 in working together toward a country
17:52 that is unified, tolerant, and can deliver a better future
17:56 for all of its citizens.
17:58 It's critical to avoid political slippages
18:01 because there is no development without peace and stability.
18:06 I would also like to acknowledge the remarkable resilience
18:09 of the Sudanese people.
18:11 Your drive to build a better Sudan
18:14 despite the challenges is truly inspiring.
18:18 These are extraordinarily difficult times for Sudan, for Africa,
18:23 and for billions of people around the world.
18:26 Reversals in development threaten people’s lives, jobs,
18:31 livelihoods, and sustenance.
18:33 In many places around the world, poverty is rising,
18:36 living standards and literacy rates are falling,
18:39 and past gains on gender equality, nutrition, and health care
18:44 are sliding backwards.
18:46 For some countries, the debt burden was
18:49 unsustainable before the crisis and is getting worse.
18:53 Rather than gaining ground, the poor are being left behind
18:56 in a global tragedy of inequality.
19:00 This drastic narrowing of economic and social progress
19:04 is creating a time of upheaval in economics, politics,
19:09 and geopolitical relationships.
19:12 While some advanced economies are providing trillions of dollars
19:17 in spending programs and central bank asset purchases,
19:21 low-income countries are facing high inflation, too few jobs,
19:27 a shortage of vaccines and food, and the high cost of adapting
19:32 to climate challenges that they did not create.
19:36 In this troubling time of upheaval, the challenge for people,
19:40 and for the development community, is to shorten the crisis,
19:44 resume development, and lay a strong foundation for a future
19:48 that is more prosperous and better prepared
19:51 for disasters like COVID-19.
19:54 To combat the reversals in development,
19:56 we will need strong new approaches suited
19:59 for these very challenging times.
20:01 We need to focus our efforts more,
20:04 set clear priorities by measuring
20:07 what works and what doesn’t, and to rapidly scale up successes.
20:14 The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in increased poverty rates again
20:18 after decades of steady decline.
20:21 It has pushed nearly 100 million people into extreme poverty,
20:25 with several hundred million more becoming poor,
20:29 many of them in middle-income countries.
20:32 Human capital accumulation stalled, with most schools closing
20:37 for months, even for years,
20:40 and some have still not reopened.
20:43 The crisis also imposed a heavy toll on firms and governments.
20:47 Business closures skyrocketed, and many firms
20:50 that remained active are now over indebted or in arrears.
20:55 Governments have run large fiscal deficits,
20:57 often pushing public debt to dangerously high levels
21:01 that require especially careful investment decisions
21:05 by both the public and private sectors.
21:08 And yet, the crisis has also brought unprecedented transformation.
21:13 We see a surge in the number of newly established firms.
21:18 Venture capital has exploded, and innovative outfits are proliferating.
21:24 We see that sectors such as information technology,
21:27 logistics, and finance, all with heavy digital components,
21:32 are surging in both advanced economies
21:34 and developing countries.
21:38 This digital revolution not only means faster growth
21:41 in the IT-based sectors,
21:44 it offers the chance to transform other sectors such as
21:49 education, health, and even agriculture.
21:53 I had the great pleasure to meet with both
21:55 the Telecom Minister, the Ag Minister,
21:58 the Foreign Affairs Minister just today.
22:02 Along the way, it will reduce the control
22:04 of the vested interests that thwart competition.
22:09 The COVID-19 crisis may have jump-started
22:12 the creative destruction that is the engine of economic growth.
22:18 The Spanish Flu of 1918 to 1920 brought havoc and death
22:24 comparable to the COVID-19 crisis.
22:27 Yet, it was not followed by a lost decade,
22:30 but rather by the Roaring 1920s.
22:34 That was a time of extremely rapid economic growth
22:37 but also a time when social inequality widened,
22:41 and dangerous financial vulnerabilities built up,
22:45 culminating in the prolonged Great Depression.
22:49 The question for the international community is:
22:52 what should we do to boost growth that is inclusive, broad-based,
22:56 and sustainable, and to avoid a lost decade for development?
23:02 It might be tempting to say let's stay the course and redouble
23:06 our pre-crisis approach.
23:09 Given the challenges of demographics, climate, disease, and debt,
23:15 this clearly won't be enough.
23:17 And on the positive side, given advances in technology,
23:21 communications, innovation, and cooperation,
23:25 it doesn't have to be enough, we aren't limited to pre-crisis approaches.
23:32 We can, and must, aspire to do more in two ways.
23:35 First, we need a stronger focus on the key priorities,
23:39 with clarity on how we approach and measure them.
23:43 For example, one global priority is
23:45 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which requires prioritizing the major emitters
23:52 and measuring the reductions in a clear and transparent way.
23:57 And second, we need much bigger scale to achieve impact.
24:03 We need education, nutrition and vaccination programs
24:06 that reach hundreds of millions of children.
24:10 We need digital cash transfer programs that can provide necessary resources
24:15 to billions of people in the next crisis.
24:18 In response to climate change,
24:21 we need thousands of large public-private projects
24:25 that combine the world’s resources, from governments, MDBs, foundations,
24:31 private investors, and the buyers of carbon credits,
24:35 in order to reduce carbon emissions and increase electricity access.
24:41 We need thousands more projects that
24:43 help people adapt to climate change in ways that will save lives.
24:48 This scale has to be included in our development priorities.
24:53 The World Bank Group remains committed to alleviating poverty
24:57 and boosting shared prosperity in our client countries,
25:01 from people in the poorest countries to those in middle-income countries
25:05 who are being left behind.
25:07 This involves creating chances for everyone to benefit
25:11 from the digital revolution and requires empowering women,
25:16 and protecting girls to offset deeply rooted sources of disadvantage.
25:23 Major policy reforms may be difficult,
25:25 with economies barely emerging from the crisis
25:28 and many citizens completely left out of the recovery.
25:32 To resume progress on development,
25:35 a high immediate priority is to secure access to vaccines
25:40 and accelerate their deployment.
25:43 In addition, there are four key focus areas
25:47 where determined action should make a difference.
25:51 First, achieving economic stability.
25:54 Many developing countries have made extraordinary efforts
25:57 to support their people and keep economic activity
26:00 going during the pandemic.
26:02 Many have gone beyond what they could afford,
26:05 especially as debt in developing economies
26:08 was at record highs when the pandemic hit.
26:13 As of mid-2021, over half of IDA countries,
26:19 the world's poorest countries, are in external debt distress
26:23 or at risk of it.
26:25 This situation could worsen if commodity prices are volatile,
26:30 interest rates increase, or investors lose confidence
26:34 in emerging markets.
26:37 When the debt service suspension, or DSSI initiative,
26:41 expires at the end of this year,
26:43 low-income countries that resume debt service payments
26:47 will see their fiscal space shrink.
26:50 This limits their ability to purchase vaccines
26:53 and to finance other priority expenditures.
26:57 It’s time to pursue a gradual and people-oriented fiscal consolidation,
27:04 and to restructure unsustainable debt.
27:08 Enhanced and accelerated implementation of the G20 Common Framework
27:13 will be critical on this front.
27:16 We need global cooperation, including private sector,
27:20 to provide debt relief to the world’s poorest countries
27:24 and fund growth-enhancing investments.
27:27 In Sudan, for example, global cooperation
27:31 that included the U.S., France and the United Kingdom
27:35 helped the country clear its arrears
27:38 with the World Bank, IMF and other International Financial Institutions,
27:43 making possible more than $50 billion in debt relief
27:48 in what will be the largest HIPC initiative ever.
27:52 It’s critical that countries eliminate wasteful public expenditures,
27:57 make service delivery more efficient, and reallocate public resources
28:02 to their most productive uses.
28:05 This is also a time for proactive debt management
28:08 to reprofile payments while international interest rates remain low.
28:14 There need to be concrete steps
28:16 to improve the transparency of debt contracts,
28:20 to increase accountability, and to ensure decisions draw
28:24 on comprehensive information.
28:27 Lower-income countries need to prioritize concessional financing
28:31 and avoid the high interest rate financing that has become increasingly problematic.
28:38 Focusing this agenda for each country
28:40 and measuring the progress will be critical.
28:45 A second priority, leveraging the digital revolution.
28:50 The faster adoption of digital solutions
28:53 can radically expand access to finance
28:55 and create new economic opportunities.
28:58 It can increase competition in product markets
29:02 and enable people to sell services online,
29:05 connecting them to national and global markets.
29:09 Supporting this transformation requires many actions at scale,
29:15 investing in digital infrastructure,
29:17 eliminating monopolies in the telecom sector,
29:20 providing national IDs,
29:23 and creating an enabling regulatory environment.
29:27 The potential is clear throughout the developing world, including Africa.
29:32 In Sudan, for instance,
29:34 eight out of 10 citizens own mobile phones
29:37 and a similar proportion has a national ID.
29:40 The digital revolution can also transform the public sector.
29:45 For example, it allows a radical rethinking of safety nets.
29:50 Across the world, we are seeing programs move
29:53 from in-kind and cash delivery to digital delivery,
29:58 direct to people’s bank accounts or visible on their phones.
30:03 Similarly, in both the formal and informal sectors,
30:07 new payment systems enable daily purchases through phones,
30:11 using QR codes and other technologies.
30:15 Kenya and many other African countries have extensive experience in this.
30:21 In many middle-income countries, shifting to e-government,
30:25 electronic government services,
30:28 can facilitate access to public services for households and firms.
30:33 E-electronic procurement systems can reduce opportunities
30:38 for corruption, while enhancing
30:40 the government's transparency and efficiency.
30:52 The third topic I want to raise is making development
30:55 greener and sustainable.
30:58 The international community is strongly committed
31:00 to slowing the increase in atmospheric carbon
31:04 and to reducing climate impacts on the most vulnerable.
31:08 A key step is to stop the creation of new coal-fired electricity plants,
31:14 decommission existing ones, and substitute for them
31:18 with cleaner sources of electricity.
31:22 We should support countries in a just transition,
31:25 which includes taking care of the workers
31:28 that are affected by the transition.
31:30 The transition is increasingly feasible
31:33 as technological innovations bring down the cost of clean energy.
31:38 Recognizing the massive expense of this undertaking,
31:41 efforts need to focus on the most impactful transitions.
31:46 This is also the time to reinvigorate often-stalled
31:50 power sector reforms.
31:52 Energy subsidies are expensive and distortive,
31:55 while removing them needs to be done
31:58 in ways that solve underlying inefficiencies
32:01 and provide increase access.
32:05 Aiming for clean, affordable energy
32:08 requires competition in electricity generation and distribution,
32:13 as well as a truly independent regulator.
32:16 Sudan's commitment to electricity sector reform
32:20 is important in all these respects.
32:23 Transportation is another major source of green house gas emissions.
32:28 With more urbanization expected in developing countries,
32:33 infrastructure and the design of cities can make an enormous difference.
32:38 Instead of sprawling metropolitan cities
32:41 where commuters spend hours on the road,
32:44 governments can aim for more compact cities
32:48 with efficient and clean public transportation systems.
32:52 In the climate change efforts, both mitigation and adaptation,
32:56 and the development effort more broadly,
32:59 we need to prioritize and focus efforts
33:01 for the largest impact per dollar spent
33:05 and look for solutions that are rapidly scalable.
33:09 And the fourth area I wanted to mention
33:11 is investing in people.
33:13 The Prime Minister mentioned and emphasized the importance of this.
33:18 The crisis shows that strong, effective health systems
33:22 need to be at the forefront of preparing countries for future shocks.
33:27 COVID-19 vaccine access and deployment are acute priorities now,
33:33 while other vaccinations are also critical
33:36 to keep other deadly illnesses in check such as malaria.
33:41 Strengthening education and health systems
33:43 takes more than just providing budgetary resources
33:47 in an efficient and prioritized way.
33:50 For example, aligning incentives
33:52 for teachers and health care providers,
33:55 public or private,
33:57 with the needs of the people they serve is important, is vital.
34:02 And finding scalable solutions to enhance health care
34:06 and to improve the quality of education,
34:09 including through distance learning, is also critical.
34:14 Nowhere is human capital accumulation more important than
34:18 in conflict-affected countries,
34:20 where a majority of poor people live today.
34:24 Assisting refugees and host communities is a key priority.
34:28 Security is essential, but soldiers can't win
34:32 the battle of development.
34:34 Change is more likely to come from small victories
34:37 won across millions of households over time.
34:42 For example, it is at the family and community level
34:46 that we build the acceptance for women to work outside the home,
34:50 for all children to be educated,
34:53 and for the contributions of girls to be recognized.
34:57 Indeed, educating girls involves more than
35:00 providing them with skills.
35:02 It means fostering self-sufficiency and encouraging their aspirations.
35:09 This is in everyone’s interest.
35:11 Closing gender gaps offers massive economic returns
35:15 for developing countries,
35:16 including the most fragile and conflict-affected.
35:21 None of this will be easy, but the World Bank Group
35:24 is uniquely endowed and positioned to support countries
35:27 with the four priorities I have outlined,
35:30 through finance and know-how for a government,
35:33 while mobilizing the private sector.
35:36 We have unmatched experience working with countries,
35:40 using technical experts across all the key sectors.
35:44 Most of our staff comes from developing countries,
35:47 often bringing experience from innovations in development
35:51 that they helped carry out in their home countries and regions.
35:55 I'm particularly grateful to the World Bank staff
35:58 that are here today that worked on Sudan.
36:01 Our staff are increasingly decentralized in country offices across the world;
36:07 we have also scaled up our footprint
36:09 in fragile and conflict-affected countries.
36:13 Over the last four years, we, the World Bank,
36:16 nearly doubled our footprint in FCV countries,
36:20 reaching over 1,200 staff at present, in fragile, conflict and violent countries.
36:28 We are proud of our response to COVID-19,
36:31 and we thank shareholders for their support.
36:34 From April 2020 through June 2021,
36:38 we committed more than $157 billion dollars,
36:42 the largest crisis response in our history.
36:45 We have helped countries tackle the health emergency
36:48 and provided financing for COVID-19 vaccines
36:52 in 62 countries.
36:54 We are pleased to partner with COVAX, AVAT,
36:58 the African Union, and UNICEF on our shared priority
37:03 to help countries purchase and deploy vaccines.
37:06 Our support for the poorest countries is at an all-time high,
37:11 including grants and highly concessional loans
37:14 to countries eligible to borrow from IDA.
37:17 While helping countries address the pandemic crisis,
37:21 we are also working to facilitate development
37:23 that is green, resilient, and inclusive.
37:27 Looking ahead, much more needs to be done
37:30 to secure a sustained recovery and a better development path for all.
37:35 The need for COVID-19 vaccines remains massive,
37:39 and we have financing readily available to keep supporting countries.
37:44 Low and middle-income countries face many concurrent challenges.
37:49 Some are dealing with fragility, as we see in the Horn of Africa
37:52 and the Sahel.
37:54 And all need to deliver services effectively,
37:58 finance resilient infrastructure, embrace digital opportunities,
38:03 and respond to climate change.
38:06 With the replenishment of IDA later this year,
38:09 African heads of state have called for donors
38:13 to be ambitious in supporting IDA’s critical mission
38:17 for the poorest countries.
38:19 The other parts of the World Bank, IBRD, IFC, and MIGA
38:24 will also continue to find ways to increase financing
38:28 and mobilize more resources,
38:31 including from the private sector.
38:34 This unprecedented crisis has set in motion a time of upheaval.
38:40 The many choices in coming years
38:42 will determine whether developing countries
38:45 suffer a lost decade or can usher in rapid growth
38:50 and economic transformation.
38:52 I've outlined huge endeavors,
38:55 bringing economic stability and growth,
38:59 leveraging the digital revolution, taking strong climate change action,
39:04 and investing in people.
39:06 To succeed requires the active participation of
39:10 the public and private sectors across countries,
39:13 civil societies and foundations,
39:16 indeed the whole international community
39:18 working together.
39:20 These efforts require leaders to be ambitious
39:24 for the prosperity of people.
39:26 And they require focus and scale throughout
39:29 our development work.
39:32 As I speak to people here in Sudan
39:35 and see the faces of young people in this hall,
39:38 I feel optimistic that we will help countries
39:42 avoid a lost decade.
39:45 As you walk your journey toward peace, prosperity and national unity,
39:52 the World Bank Group, along with the rest of international community,
39:56 are walking alongside you.
39:59 By working together, we will build a better development path.
40:03 The history of Sudan is yours to chart.
40:07 Thank you all very much.
40:17 [Kholood Khair] Thank you David.
40:18 I will invite you to join us on the stage, please David,
40:21 where we will be invited by our panelists
40:25 Amal Elfatih who is a public health expert,
40:28 Yousif Yahya, who is the founder
40:30 and managing director of Savannah Innovation Labs,
40:33 and Jawhratelkmal Kanu who is the founder and an economist
40:38 and founder of the Sudanese Women Economists Association.
40:50 Thank you very much for joining me.
40:57 Welcome to you all.
40:59 I'm going to ask you all the same question.
41:05 Can you all hear me?
41:07 I'm going to ask you all the same question
41:08 and I'll give you about three minutes to respond.
41:11 President Malpass has touched upon critical issues of concern
41:15 to us here in Sudan.
41:16 From your perspectives and given your areas of expertise,
41:19 what are the areas of intervention that you think will translate to
41:22 the biggest benefit for the people of Sudan?
41:25 In other words, what are the kinds of transformations that are needed?
41:28 Jawhara, let's start with you.
41:30 [Jawhratelkmal Kanu] Thank you Kholood.
41:33 Thank you Kholood for the question.
41:35 Of course, I cannot speak for all the people of Sudan
41:37 and you've only given me three minutes
41:39 but I can speak from my economics background
41:43 and in this special occasion, I would like to highlight a few things.
41:47 The first thing being the economic advancements
41:50 that has been taking place in Sudan over the past two years.
41:52 We've been witnessing some progress in the macroeconomic indicators
41:56 that we've sensed in our daily lives.
41:58 However, we all realize that
42:00 there is a lot that needs to be done and today.
42:02 And today, I would like to highlight three priorities
42:05 from my perspective.
42:06 The first thing being a distribution or redistribution of the benefits
42:10 or the economic benefits of the rifts
42:12 that are being created across the country
42:13 and in the capital especially.
42:15 Hulu, my grandmother from my father's side,
42:18 she was a farmer and she used to farm sesame ground nuts
42:21 in her small farm in the village.
42:23 but my grandmother who directly contributed to the exports of Sudan,
42:27 who directly contributed to improving the economy of Sudan,
42:29 never had electricity in her village,
42:31 she never had roads connecting her to the nearest big town,
42:34 and even when she got sick with malaria and died,
42:37 she never had access to hospitalization.
42:39 And it's not just my grandmother, it's a lot of people across Sudan.
42:41 It's millions of people, millions of farmers,
42:43 millions of men and women.
42:45 And that's why I think redistribution is important.
42:47 And I think it's important for the people of Sudan,
42:49 who are contributing to its economy
42:51 to feel that whatever they're contributing
42:54 is returning back in terms of services and so on.
42:57 It also helps people to have more incentive
42:59 to contribute to our taxation system, seeing the benefits or the outcomes
43:03 of what they've been paying.
43:04 The other point that I would like to highlight is
43:07 the issue of citizen engagement.
43:08 As I said, we've been going through lots of economic reforms,
43:11 but to what extent are the people of Sudan aware of these reforms?
43:14 To what extent are the people able
43:16 to judge and just say their opinion
43:20 about what's been happening on either on two or more
43:22 different levels of governance?
43:24 It's important for the people to know because, at the end of the day,
43:27 these decisions, even if they're being
43:30 taken at the capital here,
43:31 they're touching their daily lives,
43:33 hence, at the end of the day,
43:35 they're the people that are mostly affected.
43:38 It's not enough to use television, radio and social media
43:41 to share information about what's been happening
43:43 in a country where less than 60 percent
43:45 has access to power and electricity.
43:47 We need to be creative in the ways
43:49 that we use to reach the people in the different areas.
43:52 The second point is citizen engagement, as I mentioned.
43:55 Last one is youth unemployment.
43:57 So young people always hear that “okay, go into new fields”,
44:01 “try entrepreneurship”, “have your own business”
44:04 or “go to production”, “produce more”,
44:07 “go back to agriculture” and so on.
44:09 And these two things sometimes it's a bit challenging
44:12 because for my peers they have to make decisions
44:16 with only two options between acquiring more skills
44:18 or making a living.
44:19 And sometimes it's a difficult decision to make
44:21 because you wouldn't have enough resources
44:23 to pursue courses, pursue trainings or use that time
44:27 and make a living of your daily life.
44:31 Our educational system isn't equipped yet
44:33 to foster this kind of innovative or entrepreneurship kind of careers
44:38 and, from the other side, when it comes to agriculture,
44:40 again, we often hear the notion that why don't you start your own farm,
44:44 why don't you go back to farming.
44:47 It's the 21st century, I can't go back to farming
44:49 with the same tools that my grandmother was using.
44:51 We need to have a more innovative infrastructure
44:54 and we're in a connected world now
44:56 where we see that in the developed world,
45:00 people are using different machinery,
45:02 different technologies in farming and agriculture.
45:04 I think we feel that we need to have similar infrastructure
45:07 for us to go and be able to delve into that field as well.
45:11 Overall, the last point I would like to highlight is that
45:13 it's not just the state's job, it's not just the citizens,
45:16 it's just rather the collective actions where we can all work together
45:19 in order to advance this country further.
45:21 Thank you.
45:22 [Kholood Khair] Thank you so much Jawhara.
45:27 Yousif, same question to you,
45:29 what areas do you think are the priorities?
45:37 [Fainted sound]
45:39 [Kholood Khair] No, it's not.
45:50 [Inaudible speech] please?
46:02 [Yousif Yahya] Okay. Is it better now?
46:04 I mean, I can speak if you guys can hear me.
46:09 [Kholood Khair] Go for it.
46:12 [Yousif Yahya] Okay, I can speak if [Inaudible speech].
46:17 [JAWHRATELKMAL KANU] I think we need it for the live stream.
46:20 [Yousif Yahya] [Inaudible speech].
46:24 [Kholood Khair] Perhaps we can move over to Amal
46:26 just while we're sorting out your sound Yousif.
46:28 Amal, from a human capital perspective, what do you think are the priorities
46:34 both now and going forward?
46:37 [Amal Elfatih] Well, thank you Kholood,
46:39 It's a very exciting and historical time
46:41 for us in the health sector in Sudan.
46:43 Historical because the health sector was the first sector
46:46 to ever re-engage with the World Bank
46:48 after 30 years of isolation
46:49 and for that we are very much thankful
46:51 to the technical teams and the World Bank
46:53 for their great support.
46:54 And also exciting because it really comes with new doors
46:59 to new wide open horizons.
47:01 Seeing such partnerships grow
47:04 to the best of our people and for their best interest.
47:07 The Sudanese revolution was a unique revolution.
47:10 It was carried on the shoulders of its youth, young ladies, young men
47:14 racing to freedom, racing to a better future,
47:18 that only necessitates that our public sector
47:20 lives up to their aspirations.
47:22 This cannot happen without investing in youth,
47:25 invigorating the public sector and making sure that
47:29 we are retracting the young people
47:31 to be the new face of our public sector.
47:34 My own experience in creating and developing
47:37 a young talent acquisition program
47:40 for the restructured global health directorate
47:42 and the Federal Ministry of Health
47:44 tells me that it is very much doable
47:46 and it's very much successful.
47:48 It was an endeavor that was successful in attracting
47:52 young talents of 90 percent females
47:54 and they're now the heart and soul
47:56 of this directorate.
47:57 This is much doable and it is a scalable model
48:00 if it's further ratified and studied.
48:03 The inequitable distribution of services
48:05 across Sudan is a historical issue.
48:07 It's a very standing old issue
48:09 and if COVID-19 told us one thing is that
48:11 in order to adapt you'll have to be resilient
48:14 and accepting of new ideas.
48:16 My own experience in leading a digitalization project
48:19 from the health sector in Sudan
48:21 tells me that, now more than ever,
48:24 we are more accepting to be virtually treated than
48:27 we used to be back in 2016.
48:28 It doesn't have to be sophisticated, doesn't have to be high tech,
48:31 it could be our everyday regular bandwidth
48:35 extended to the extremities to help our people
48:38 in the extremities of this country.
48:40 In such challenged contexts, with competing priorities,
48:45 in a very strained economy
48:47 to address inequalities and decentralization,
48:49 I do believe that digitalization is
48:52 the answer to all our problems.
48:56 COVID-19 was quite a thing.
48:58 It was it was a very eye-opening experience for all of us.
49:02 It only redefined resilience to read as cooperation and solidarity.
49:08 For a public sector that is walking out of
49:10 30 years of destruction,
49:12 it only means that we need to really reinvigorate
49:16 our public sector.
49:17 That only means that we'll have to strike a balance
49:21 between having to address our urgent needs
49:24 but also strategically creating
49:27 a public sector that is fit for purpose
49:29 and that is strategically geared towards our 10 priorities
49:33 of this transitional government.
49:35 This needs necessitate new mindsets
49:38 and it necessitates a fresh soul
49:41 and this could only translate into broadening
49:44 the base for partners.
49:46 Not only engaging new ones
49:49 but the meaningful engagement
49:50 of the private sector with the public sector, of course,
49:53 as well as our civil society organizations.
49:56 Thank you Kohlood for the opportunity,
49:57 I'm really grateful to be here.
49:59 [Kholood Khair] Thank you very much Amal.
50:03 I think we can now turn back to you Yousif,
50:05 give you the opportunity to...
50:07 [Yousif Yahya] Okay, perfect. Is it better now? Yeah? Thank you so much.
50:10 I'll start and reflect on the first part
50:14 that everybody spoke about.
50:15 Through my work at Savannah, I've come to work with
50:18 a lot of bright Sudanese, both entrepreneurs and creative people,
50:22 and just looking at that ecosystem,
50:25 you've come to find that the ecosystem is
50:27 as diverse as Sudan is.
50:29 So, when we speak about youth engagement,
50:31 I think future change makers in Sudan should have a seat at the table
50:35 to co-create the policies that are currently happening.
50:38 Not just consulting the youth
50:39 while trying to implement programs,
50:41 but including them in a part of the implementation process
50:44 of these programs because if we're setting policies
50:48 that are going to take Sudan into the future
50:50 and they're supposed to serve this community,
50:52 this community has to be actively involved in creating that.
50:56 The Sudanese youth has taken part
50:59 in a lot of pan-African initiatives
51:01 that have set forth the start-up policy in Rwanda,
51:05 the start-up policy in Nigeria and just recently in Nigeria
51:08 one of the communities that we're part of
51:12 has ushered two unicorn company startups
51:15 in the digital payment sector.
51:17 These are billion dollar startups
51:18 and that's not because they found aid
51:21 from an international organization
51:22 or funding and subsidization from the government but no.
51:25 They found a truly supportive ecosystem
51:28 from the government,
51:30 they found a truly supportive ecosystem
51:32 from the private sector.
51:33 This is why I'm here to call upon from the policy makers
51:36 and the private sector in Sudan.
51:39 Additionally, the fourth industrial revolution is here.
51:42 People are speaking about autonomous cars,
51:44 people are going to speak about autonomous agriculture
51:46 and all of these things.
51:47 The educational system in Sudan right now
51:50 does not encourage any of that stuff.
51:52 We can't eradicate the educational system that we have
51:55 but we can actually inject things that are going
51:58 to help and support these things.
51:59 Digitization does not mean to kind of lay people off
52:04 or anything along these lines.
52:05 People are adaptable
52:07 just like you mentioned, Mr. President.
52:09 Eight out of 10 Sudanese people have mobile phones.
52:12 So, how can we tap into that opportunity in order for us
52:15 to ensure that we're keeping up with the world?
52:17 Sudan right now is a net data consumer
52:21 in the sense that
52:21 we're not contributing to the applications
52:24 that are being posted online and stuff like that.
52:26 So, when Mark Zuckerberg comes out and speaks
52:28 about the Metaverse
52:29 and AR and virtual reality,
52:31 we need to ensure that in 30 years
52:33 we kind of helped co-create what's currently happening
52:36 so we are not left back again in history.
52:39 just like happened in the past 30 years.
52:43 Last but not least, I think it's very important to
52:46 instill the ethics of collaboration and cooperation
52:51 between Sudanese youth and Sudanese across all lines
52:54 because if we are going to need to do this,
52:56 we need to kind of do this together.
52:57 In order for us to reach a common vision of
53:00 what we envision Sudan is
53:02 and for Sudan to rightfully take its place,
53:04 not only in the continent but also in the world,
53:07 as we see it.
53:09 Anywhere else in the world,
53:10 the machine has already been shaped.
53:12 So Sudanese diaspora play a role
53:13 in whatever countries that are in.
53:15 The thing in Sudan is that the machine is yet to be curated,
53:19 it's an empty canvas, it's an empty beautiful canvas
53:22 that we have all the tools
53:24 and all the support with everybody in this room
53:26 in order for us to draw and build
53:28 the Sudan that we actually envision.
53:29 Thank you so much.
53:35 [Kholood Khair] I'm afraid we're almost at a time for the live streaming
53:37 but before we go, I'd like to invite David
53:39 to share with us his closing thoughts.
53:41 You've heard from our panel but what are the issues
53:43 that you have raised could mean for Sudan.
53:47 What would you like this audience to take away?
53:49 What's one thing from this conversation?
53:52 [David Malpass] I was listening with great interest.
53:55 So one takeaway or one observation I have is
53:59 Sudan is going through a process to create a nation
54:02 and it will be one of the world's,
54:05 it is one of the world's biggest nations
54:07 and that means people will find their path
54:09 and they will work together to find a peaceful outcome
54:12 and everything that you were describing
54:15 is part of that path.
54:17 I was thinking about how do people...
54:20 [Kholood Khair] Just not to interrupt you, David, please pick up the hand mike,
54:23 it might be easier for everyone to hear you.
54:27 [David Malpass] How do people around Sudan know
54:31 that the reforms are underway?
54:33 One part of that is the economic reform,
54:35 so there are fewer shortages, fewer queues
54:39 for bread or for fuel,
54:41 and that's known to everyone.
54:44 And it may be that everyone can see
54:46 the support of the international community.
54:49 As there are challenges that should be notable.
54:53 Sudan is coming out of the isolation
54:57 and is seeing how much
55:00 the World Bank wants you to succeed
55:03 and the whole world wants Sudan
55:06 to succeed in this effort.
55:08 I was thinking about the businesses
55:12 that you all described,
55:13 how important it is that the youth be involved
55:16 and that new business techniques
55:18 be allowed to come in, including in agriculture.
55:21 As Sudan transforms the sector uses more equipment,
55:27 more productivity, more diversity of
55:31 the export markets or the internal markets.
55:35 All of that is within reach of Sudan as it as goes through this process.
55:43 And how the young people working together
55:46 and working within a system
55:49 that they can change and create.
55:52 That's going to be the important path.
55:54 I just re-affirm the World Bank wants to help where we can.
56:00 we have people eager to help
56:03 but the course itself comes from Sudan
56:06 as we've heard today.
56:08 [Kholood Khair] Thank you very much David.
56:14 I think for me a key takeaway is that for Sudan
56:17 both COVID-19 and the civilian led transition,
56:20 in very different ways,
56:21 offer a once in a generation chance
56:23 to build back but also to build forward better.
56:26 The country is experiencing multiple transitions.
56:29 Sudan can then forsee this window of opportunity
56:32 to open up and to build robust governance mechanisms
56:37 and whole scale an engagement, as our panel has said,
56:40 to combat economic inequality, the impact of climate change,
56:43 which we feel every year, increase opportunities nationwide
56:47 and set a new course to foster a country that works for all
56:49 as you mentioned earlier, David.
56:51 I'm confident that we can advance this agenda together.
56:55 You can continue to follow the conversations
56:57 during the World Bank Group's Annual Meeting.
57:00 Please check live.worldbank.org for further information on the events
57:04 which will commence from October the 11th.
57:07 Please join me, we have just time for Amal,
57:12 I just wanted to help you expand on
57:14 one particular aspect that you spoke of,
57:16 human capital, before we sign off
57:18 because I think your experience in the public sector
57:21 really adds to the private sector aspect that we had.
57:25 If you can just give us a 10 second input on that please.
57:29 [Amal Elfatih] That'll be hard in 10 seconds but what I'm trying to say is
57:32 the public sector as we say, as we see today,
57:38 there are a lot of hopes that
57:40 we as youth have for the public sector
57:44 and I can only see the future of public sector
57:47 in collaboration and trying to invigorate that
57:50 with the injection of new blood,
57:52 those are the young talents.
57:55 My own experience for the previous one year
57:59 only tells me that we can really build
58:02 on the passion of our youth.
58:04 We can really build on their interest
58:06 to serve for the better of this country
58:08 and they are willing and they are passionate
58:10 and they are really, really talented.
58:12 If they are really catered for in our public systems.
58:15 Again, we don't have that luxury,
58:17 we are meant to be in a context,
58:20 in a situation, where we are only left
58:22 to fix as we go down that journey.
58:25 That makes it really hard for all of us,
58:27 all of us here in this room today.
58:30 To strike that balance is going to be very difficult.
58:33 It doesn't come easy unless we are in collaboration, in cooperation
58:37 with our young talents and the new generation
58:41 and the new perspective.
58:41 They are the future of a public sector
58:44 for the upcoming 30 years
58:46 and not the previous 30 ones.
58:47 But also with the openness that we are seeing,
58:50 with our international community, with the World Bank in hand
58:53 and also with our private sector walking us down that road.
58:57 [Kholood Khair] Thank you very much.
58:58 That was longer than 10 seconds but I forgive you
59:00 because it was a very important contribution.
59:02 Please join me in thanking David Malpass
59:05 and our panel Jawhara Kanu, Yousif Yahya and Amal Elfatih
59:09 for their contributions.
59:11 [Amal Elfatih] Thank you very much.
59:15 [Kholood Khair] And to our viewers online
59:17 thank you very much for watching and goodbye.

Development in a Time of Upheaval: Speech by World Bank Group President David Malpass

Ahead of the World Bank Group-IMF Annual Meetings, President Malpass delivered a speech in Khartoum, Sudan, entitled “Development in a Time of Upheaval. ”

President Malpass set out the major challenges and opportunities in building a resilient and inclusive recovery for all. He looked at the dynamics of recent global economic growth that have contributed to inequality and a reversal in development progress. President Malpass also explored how to remove or confront obstacles to development such as high debt, high trade costs, and the diminished capacity of many middle-income countries following COVID-19.

A moderated discussion followed the speech.

Read the transcript

Video chapters

00:00 Welcome and introductions: Development in a Time of Upheaval

02:10 Remarks by Dr. Abdallah Hamdok, Prime Minister of the Republic of Sudan

15:00 Positioning speech by World Bank Group President David Malpass

18:18 Malpass speech: An unprecedented crisis

20:14 Malpass speech: Turning around the reversal in development

22:18 Malpass speech: Fostering change while remaining focused on poverty reduction

35:21 Malpass speech: The contribution of the World Bank Group

40:19 Sudanese perspective: Areas of intervention for the benefit of young people

41:33 Reflections by Jawhratelkmal (Jawhra) Kanu, Founding member of the Sudanese Women Economists Association

46:38 Reflections by Yousif Yahya, Founder and Managing Director of Savannah Innovation Lab

50:09 Reflections by Dr. Amal Elfatih, public health expert

53:38 Closing remarks by David Malpass, World Bank Group President

56:14 Questions from the audience and closure

Speakers

David R. Malpass

Former President, World Bank Group
@DavidMalpassWBG
Dr. Abdalla Hamdok

Prime Minister of Sudan
@SudanPMHamdok
Jawhratelkmal Kanu

Founding member, Sudanese Women Economists Association (SWEA)
@JawharaK_
Dr Amal Elfatih

Public health specialist, Sudan
Yousif Yahya

Founder and Managing Director at Savannah Innovation Labs, Sudan

Moderator

Kholood Khair

Managing partner, Insight Strategy Partners
@KholoodKhair

Read the transcript

00:01 [Annual Meetings 2021]
00:41 [Kholood Khair] Hello and a warm welcome
00:42 to our audience here in Khartoum, Sudan
00:45 and to our viewers around the world.
00:47 My name is Kholood Khair
00:48 and I am the Managing Partner of Insight Strategy Partners,
00:51 a think tank here in Sudan
00:53 and a host of Spotlight 249 on Capital Radio.
00:58 I will be your host and moderator.
01:00 Before I introduce our speakers, a few words about the event.
01:04 As we all know, there isn't a single country
01:07 that has not been affected by COVID-19.
01:09 The pandemic has turned our world upside down
01:11 and enabled us to question many norms and assumptions.
01:15 As big of a challenge as it has been,
01:17 it has also provided us with important lessons
01:19 and we have learned to adapt, fight and survive.
01:23 The pandemic has clearly shown us how interdependent we all are
01:26 and that we are not immune to goings on
01:29 on the other side of the world.
01:30 While we have striven to become stronger and more resilient,
01:33 we have also learned the importance of having a common goal
01:36 and working in partnership to address the challenges
01:39 we are faced with.
01:41 This is the focus of the World Bank Group's 2021 Annual Meetings
01:44 scheduled to take place the week of October 11
01:48 and will convene global leaders from across government,
01:51 business and civil society for this important conversation.
01:55 To set the stage for these meetings, we will hear today from
01:57 World Bank Group President David Malpass
02:00 on how countries can work together
02:02 and support each other to achieve sustainable economic growth,
02:05 shared prosperity and crisis preparedness.
02:08 Before hearing from David, we will hear from his excellency
02:11 Dr Abdalla Hamdok, prime minister of the Republic of Sudan.
02:15 Your excellency the floor is yours.
03:03 [Inaudible speech]
03:11 [Inaudible speech]
03:15 [Inaudible speech]
03:17 [Abdalla Hamdok] Excellency David Malpass,
03:19 President of the World Bank Group,
03:21 Regional Vice President of the World Bank,
03:25 Regional Vice President of IFC,
03:28 Ministers, Leaders and Representatives of Academia,
03:33 Political Parties, Civil Society, Private Sector and Youth,
03:40 Heads and Representatives of Diplomatic Missions,
03:45 Regional and International Organizations,
03:47 distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen.
03:51 It is a great honor for Sudan and Africa
03:58 that you Mr. President is delivering your annual positioning speech
04:06 here in Khartoum, within walking distance of
04:11 the confluence of the Nile,
04:14 which has seen the ebb and flow of history for millennia.
04:21 It is indeed a historical moment.
04:25 Today reminds us of the visit by President Robert McNamara,
04:34 who came nearly 50 years ago.
04:38 He wanted to ensure that
04:41 the 1972 Addis Ababa Peace Agreement,
04:47 which ended one of Africa's longest civil wars,
04:52 was anchored on prosperity, political stability
04:58 and economic development.
05:01 Again, your visit comes at another pivotal moment in Sudan history.
05:10 The December Revolution of 2018 was led by women and youth
05:15 who demanded a decisive break from the past decades
05:22 of conflict, isolation, authoritarianism and corruption.
05:29 Our collective ambition is to end internal conflict
05:35 once and for all,
05:38 to create justice and accountability
05:40 and to emerge from the transitional period
05:44 as a full-fledged democracy and an anchor of stability in this region.
05:54 We have no doubts that this transition
05:58 can only succeed if it is anchored on
06:02 economic prosperity for all the Sudanese,
06:08 irrespective of gender, geography, race, religion and income level.
06:18 We know our economy requires deep, fundamental reforms
06:25 to reform distortions, strengthen economic governance,
06:30 establish stability and unleash the private sector.
06:37 I must say as a critical observer,
06:42 as a president of the World Bank over the years,
06:45 I can say the Bank has evolved to a point of accepting
06:52 and tolerating Policy difference,
06:56 national ownership and partnership
06:59 within the context of the Global Convergence of Development Thinking.
07:07 As we launched our homegrown economic reform in 2020,
07:13 we appreciate the fact that the World Bank stepped forward
07:19 to support us and encourage others to do so.
07:24 We're grateful to all countries
07:26 that help Sudan reach the HIPC Decision Point
07:33 and The Paris Club agreement
07:35 and we are fully cognizant
07:38 of the active role of the World Bank for this to happen.
07:43 We thank you for that.
07:45 Moreover, the World Bank contributed over 3 billion US dollars package
07:53 of projects and programs to support
07:57 agriculture, water, transport, electricity, health care, education,
08:04 Family Support Program and many other priorities.
08:08 IFC is also now engaged in identifying private engagements and investments.
08:17 Our reforms have begun to bear fruits despite
08:23 the challenges of COVID-19, floods and influx of refugees
08:29 from neighboring countries.
08:32 Inflation declined in August by 35 percent.
08:37 Our currency has stabilized.
08:40 Our trade deficit declined to 1.2 billion US dollars
08:47 in the first half of 2021,
08:51 compared to 2.1 billion US dollars in the first half of 2020.
09:01 Non-oil exports are higher.
09:04 Remittances increased from 136 million the first half of 2020
09:14 to 717 million US dollars the first half of this year,
09:21 and bank deposits and financing are increasing.
09:25 Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen,
09:29 there is a still steep path to attain our goals.
09:35 many families lost their livelihoods,
09:40 millions of children lost a full year of schooling
09:45 and there is increasing pressure
09:47 on already weak service delivery mechanisms
09:52 To sustain the gains and address the challenges,
09:56 we must progress in a number of important areas.
10:01 We need to strengthen our economic governance,
10:04 including ensuring that non-security state enterprises are
10:10 under the transparent governance of the Ministry of Finance.
10:15 We also need to rebuild an effective civil service
10:20 based on merits and focus on results.
10:24 We must develop our human capital
10:27 and ensure every girl, boy, woman and man,
10:34 in every part of the country,
10:37 has an opportunity to lead a life which is safe, healthy and productive.
10:46 To do so, we need to empower the youth today
10:51 and future generations with appropriate education and skills,
10:56 establish efficient social service delivery systems
11:01 and create meaningful jobs.
11:04 We want to leverage technology to leapfrog and rebuild
11:10 our infrastructure and financial sector,
11:14 and we want to develop the long-neglected,
11:18 marginalized parts of Sudan.
11:22 Our goal is to ensure that reforms lead to
11:25 equitable and sustainable growth and prosperity.
11:30 Excellencies, distinguish guests, ladies and gentlemen.
11:34 We have an opportunity to put Sudan back
11:38 on a strong growth trajectory.
11:41 Sudan is endowed with great national natural and human resources.
11:47 From the coastal stretch of the Red Sea in the East
11:53 to the forest of Gum Arabic in the west,
11:56 Sudan is rich in fertile land, water and minerals.
12:03 Sudan has about 10 percent of the world's available arable land.
12:09 The third largest exporter of gold in Africa and eighth in the world,
12:16 among the largest livestock resources in Africa,
12:19 and 80 percent of its land can generate the highest levels
12:25 of solar and wind energy.
12:28 But our greatest wealth lies in our human capital,
12:32 a large young population with brave and determined
12:37 young women and men are working to build a Sudan
12:43 that is diverse, democratic, just and prosperous.
12:49 The Transitional Government is committed to laying
12:53 a strong foundation for a bright future
12:57 for all our citizens of this great country.
13:01 This will require immense investments,
13:04 financial and technical resources,
13:06 the active engagement of the private sector,
13:11 and the continued support of the international partners.
13:16 The Sudanese people have borne a very high cost of the reform
13:23 and we cannot take their patience for granted.
13:28 We want to reach the point and very soon at which results
13:36 will be felt by ordinary Sudanese.
13:40 We want to build the necessary confidence
13:44 for the private sector to invest and create jobs and prosperity.
13:49 To conclude, we have indeed inherited
13:55 an extremely challenging situation of a country
13:58 that has struggled with conflict
14:02 for most of its 65 years of independence.
14:06 The last 30 years were exceptionally challenging.
14:10 Our journey has so many challenges and risks,
14:15 but we are determined and committed to make a break
14:20 with our past and work towards achieving lasting peace,
14:26 sustainable development and democracy
14:30 that meets the hopes and aspirations of our people.
14:34 I thank you for your kind attention. Thank you.
14:52 [Kholood Khair] Thank you very much for excellency.
14:53 It's more important now more than ever
14:56 to build coalitions and global confidence
14:58 in Sudan's civilian led transition.
15:00 I'll now ask World Bank Group's President David Malpass
15:04 to make his pre-annual meeting speech.
15:06 David the floor is yours.
15:24 [David Malpass] Thank you very much Kholood.
15:28 I want to give a great thanks to Prime Minister Hamdok
15:33 for the warm introduction, it's so nice to see you after 2 years,
15:39 our last meeting was in The US
15:43 and there's been so many developments in the world.
15:46 It ¡s good to see you again.
15:48 Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a great pleasure for me
15:52 to be speaking today from Africa,
15:55 particularly in these challenging times for the continent and the world.
16:00 It’s even more special to be here in Sudan's Friendship Hall
16:05 at this historic time, near the confluence of the Nile river
16:10 as the Prime Minister said.
16:13 Over the past few years, you have made a tremendous effort
16:16 to put people on a forward path, amid very adverse conditions.
16:22 Two years ago, Sudan's transitional government
16:24 inherited a deeply damaged economy and society
16:29 that had suffered decades of conflict and isolation.
16:32 Even as the people resolved to break with the past,
16:37 Sudan faced extraordinary headwinds,
16:41 from the COVID-19 pandemic, a locust plague, unprecedented floods,
16:48 and an inflow of refugees escaping conflict
16:52 from across the border.
16:53 Yet the country pressed forward with bold reforms,
16:57 re-engaging with the international community,
17:00 clearing World Bank arrears with the help of a U.S. bridge loan,
17:04 and in June reaching the decision point for
17:07 the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative, HIPC as it's called.
17:12 I welcome Sudan's progress in macroeconomic stabilization,
17:17 including arrears clearance, unification of its exchange rate,
17:21 slowing inflation, which I discussed with the Finance Minister
17:26 fewer shortages, and removal of fuel subsidies.
17:31 I have the great privilege to meet with several of the ministers,
17:36 even today, and that's been a great pleasure.
17:41 While there is much work ahead, I commend the Sudanese authorities,
17:46 civil and military, for their efforts and achievements
17:50 in working together toward a country
17:52 that is unified, tolerant, and can deliver a better future
17:56 for all of its citizens.
17:58 It's critical to avoid political slippages
18:01 because there is no development without peace and stability.
18:06 I would also like to acknowledge the remarkable resilience
18:09 of the Sudanese people.
18:11 Your drive to build a better Sudan
18:14 despite the challenges is truly inspiring.
18:18 These are extraordinarily difficult times for Sudan, for Africa,
18:23 and for billions of people around the world.
18:26 Reversals in development threaten people’s lives, jobs,
18:31 livelihoods, and sustenance.
18:33 In many places around the world, poverty is rising,
18:36 living standards and literacy rates are falling,
18:39 and past gains on gender equality, nutrition, and health care
18:44 are sliding backwards.
18:46 For some countries, the debt burden was
18:49 unsustainable before the crisis and is getting worse.
18:53 Rather than gaining ground, the poor are being left behind
18:56 in a global tragedy of inequality.
19:00 This drastic narrowing of economic and social progress
19:04 is creating a time of upheaval in economics, politics,
19:09 and geopolitical relationships.
19:12 While some advanced economies are providing trillions of dollars
19:17 in spending programs and central bank asset purchases,
19:21 low-income countries are facing high inflation, too few jobs,
19:27 a shortage of vaccines and food, and the high cost of adapting
19:32 to climate challenges that they did not create.
19:36 In this troubling time of upheaval, the challenge for people,
19:40 and for the development community, is to shorten the crisis,
19:44 resume development, and lay a strong foundation for a future
19:48 that is more prosperous and better prepared
19:51 for disasters like COVID-19.
19:54 To combat the reversals in development,
19:56 we will need strong new approaches suited
19:59 for these very challenging times.
20:01 We need to focus our efforts more,
20:04 set clear priorities by measuring
20:07 what works and what doesn’t, and to rapidly scale up successes.
20:14 The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in increased poverty rates again
20:18 after decades of steady decline.
20:21 It has pushed nearly 100 million people into extreme poverty,
20:25 with several hundred million more becoming poor,
20:29 many of them in middle-income countries.
20:32 Human capital accumulation stalled, with most schools closing
20:37 for months, even for years,
20:40 and some have still not reopened.
20:43 The crisis also imposed a heavy toll on firms and governments.
20:47 Business closures skyrocketed, and many firms
20:50 that remained active are now over indebted or in arrears.
20:55 Governments have run large fiscal deficits,
20:57 often pushing public debt to dangerously high levels
21:01 that require especially careful investment decisions
21:05 by both the public and private sectors.
21:08 And yet, the crisis has also brought unprecedented transformation.
21:13 We see a surge in the number of newly established firms.
21:18 Venture capital has exploded, and innovative outfits are proliferating.
21:24 We see that sectors such as information technology,
21:27 logistics, and finance, all with heavy digital components,
21:32 are surging in both advanced economies
21:34 and developing countries.
21:38 This digital revolution not only means faster growth
21:41 in the IT-based sectors,
21:44 it offers the chance to transform other sectors such as
21:49 education, health, and even agriculture.
21:53 I had the great pleasure to meet with both
21:55 the Telecom Minister, the Ag Minister,
21:58 the Foreign Affairs Minister just today.
22:02 Along the way, it will reduce the control
22:04 of the vested interests that thwart competition.
22:09 The COVID-19 crisis may have jump-started
22:12 the creative destruction that is the engine of economic growth.
22:18 The Spanish Flu of 1918 to 1920 brought havoc and death
22:24 comparable to the COVID-19 crisis.
22:27 Yet, it was not followed by a lost decade,
22:30 but rather by the Roaring 1920s.
22:34 That was a time of extremely rapid economic growth
22:37 but also a time when social inequality widened,
22:41 and dangerous financial vulnerabilities built up,
22:45 culminating in the prolonged Great Depression.
22:49 The question for the international community is:
22:52 what should we do to boost growth that is inclusive, broad-based,
22:56 and sustainable, and to avoid a lost decade for development?
23:02 It might be tempting to say let's stay the course and redouble
23:06 our pre-crisis approach.
23:09 Given the challenges of demographics, climate, disease, and debt,
23:15 this clearly won't be enough.
23:17 And on the positive side, given advances in technology,
23:21 communications, innovation, and cooperation,
23:25 it doesn't have to be enough, we aren't limited to pre-crisis approaches.
23:32 We can, and must, aspire to do more in two ways.
23:35 First, we need a stronger focus on the key priorities,
23:39 with clarity on how we approach and measure them.
23:43 For example, one global priority is
23:45 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which requires prioritizing the major emitters
23:52 and measuring the reductions in a clear and transparent way.
23:57 And second, we need much bigger scale to achieve impact.
24:03 We need education, nutrition and vaccination programs
24:06 that reach hundreds of millions of children.
24:10 We need digital cash transfer programs that can provide necessary resources
24:15 to billions of people in the next crisis.
24:18 In response to climate change,
24:21 we need thousands of large public-private projects
24:25 that combine the world’s resources, from governments, MDBs, foundations,
24:31 private investors, and the buyers of carbon credits,
24:35 in order to reduce carbon emissions and increase electricity access.
24:41 We need thousands more projects that
24:43 help people adapt to climate change in ways that will save lives.
24:48 This scale has to be included in our development priorities.
24:53 The World Bank Group remains committed to alleviating poverty
24:57 and boosting shared prosperity in our client countries,
25:01 from people in the poorest countries to those in middle-income countries
25:05 who are being left behind.
25:07 This involves creating chances for everyone to benefit
25:11 from the digital revolution and requires empowering women,
25:16 and protecting girls to offset deeply rooted sources of disadvantage.
25:23 Major policy reforms may be difficult,
25:25 with economies barely emerging from the crisis
25:28 and many citizens completely left out of the recovery.
25:32 To resume progress on development,
25:35 a high immediate priority is to secure access to vaccines
25:40 and accelerate their deployment.
25:43 In addition, there are four key focus areas
25:47 where determined action should make a difference.
25:51 First, achieving economic stability.
25:54 Many developing countries have made extraordinary efforts
25:57 to support their people and keep economic activity
26:00 going during the pandemic.
26:02 Many have gone beyond what they could afford,
26:05 especially as debt in developing economies
26:08 was at record highs when the pandemic hit.
26:13 As of mid-2021, over half of IDA countries,
26:19 the world's poorest countries, are in external debt distress
26:23 or at risk of it.
26:25 This situation could worsen if commodity prices are volatile,
26:30 interest rates increase, or investors lose confidence
26:34 in emerging markets.
26:37 When the debt service suspension, or DSSI initiative,
26:41 expires at the end of this year,
26:43 low-income countries that resume debt service payments
26:47 will see their fiscal space shrink.
26:50 This limits their ability to purchase vaccines
26:53 and to finance other priority expenditures.
26:57 It’s time to pursue a gradual and people-oriented fiscal consolidation,
27:04 and to restructure unsustainable debt.
27:08 Enhanced and accelerated implementation of the G20 Common Framework
27:13 will be critical on this front.
27:16 We need global cooperation, including private sector,
27:20 to provide debt relief to the world’s poorest countries
27:24 and fund growth-enhancing investments.
27:27 In Sudan, for example, global cooperation
27:31 that included the U.S., France and the United Kingdom
27:35 helped the country clear its arrears
27:38 with the World Bank, IMF and other International Financial Institutions,
27:43 making possible more than $50 billion in debt relief
27:48 in what will be the largest HIPC initiative ever.
27:52 It’s critical that countries eliminate wasteful public expenditures,
27:57 make service delivery more efficient, and reallocate public resources
28:02 to their most productive uses.
28:05 This is also a time for proactive debt management
28:08 to reprofile payments while international interest rates remain low.
28:14 There need to be concrete steps
28:16 to improve the transparency of debt contracts,
28:20 to increase accountability, and to ensure decisions draw
28:24 on comprehensive information.
28:27 Lower-income countries need to prioritize concessional financing
28:31 and avoid the high interest rate financing that has become increasingly problematic.
28:38 Focusing this agenda for each country
28:40 and measuring the progress will be critical.
28:45 A second priority, leveraging the digital revolution.
28:50 The faster adoption of digital solutions
28:53 can radically expand access to finance
28:55 and create new economic opportunities.
28:58 It can increase competition in product markets
29:02 and enable people to sell services online,
29:05 connecting them to national and global markets.
29:09 Supporting this transformation requires many actions at scale,
29:15 investing in digital infrastructure,
29:17 eliminating monopolies in the telecom sector,
29:20 providing national IDs,
29:23 and creating an enabling regulatory environment.
29:27 The potential is clear throughout the developing world, including Africa.
29:32 In Sudan, for instance,
29:34 eight out of 10 citizens own mobile phones
29:37 and a similar proportion has a national ID.
29:40 The digital revolution can also transform the public sector.
29:45 For example, it allows a radical rethinking of safety nets.
29:50 Across the world, we are seeing programs move
29:53 from in-kind and cash delivery to digital delivery,
29:58 direct to people’s bank accounts or visible on their phones.
30:03 Similarly, in both the formal and informal sectors,
30:07 new payment systems enable daily purchases through phones,
30:11 using QR codes and other technologies.
30:15 Kenya and many other African countries have extensive experience in this.
30:21 In many middle-income countries, shifting to e-government,
30:25 electronic government services,
30:28 can facilitate access to public services for households and firms.
30:33 E-electronic procurement systems can reduce opportunities
30:38 for corruption, while enhancing
30:40 the government's transparency and efficiency.
30:52 The third topic I want to raise is making development
30:55 greener and sustainable.
30:58 The international community is strongly committed
31:00 to slowing the increase in atmospheric carbon
31:04 and to reducing climate impacts on the most vulnerable.
31:08 A key step is to stop the creation of new coal-fired electricity plants,
31:14 decommission existing ones, and substitute for them
31:18 with cleaner sources of electricity.
31:22 We should support countries in a just transition,
31:25 which includes taking care of the workers
31:28 that are affected by the transition.
31:30 The transition is increasingly feasible
31:33 as technological innovations bring down the cost of clean energy.
31:38 Recognizing the massive expense of this undertaking,
31:41 efforts need to focus on the most impactful transitions.
31:46 This is also the time to reinvigorate often-stalled
31:50 power sector reforms.
31:52 Energy subsidies are expensive and distortive,
31:55 while removing them needs to be done
31:58 in ways that solve underlying inefficiencies
32:01 and provide increase access.
32:05 Aiming for clean, affordable energy
32:08 requires competition in electricity generation and distribution,
32:13 as well as a truly independent regulator.
32:16 Sudan's commitment to electricity sector reform
32:20 is important in all these respects.
32:23 Transportation is another major source of green house gas emissions.
32:28 With more urbanization expected in developing countries,
32:33 infrastructure and the design of cities can make an enormous difference.
32:38 Instead of sprawling metropolitan cities
32:41 where commuters spend hours on the road,
32:44 governments can aim for more compact cities
32:48 with efficient and clean public transportation systems.
32:52 In the climate change efforts, both mitigation and adaptation,
32:56 and the development effort more broadly,
32:59 we need to prioritize and focus efforts
33:01 for the largest impact per dollar spent
33:05 and look for solutions that are rapidly scalable.
33:09 And the fourth area I wanted to mention
33:11 is investing in people.
33:13 The Prime Minister mentioned and emphasized the importance of this.
33:18 The crisis shows that strong, effective health systems
33:22 need to be at the forefront of preparing countries for future shocks.
33:27 COVID-19 vaccine access and deployment are acute priorities now,
33:33 while other vaccinations are also critical
33:36 to keep other deadly illnesses in check such as malaria.
33:41 Strengthening education and health systems
33:43 takes more than just providing budgetary resources
33:47 in an efficient and prioritized way.
33:50 For example, aligning incentives
33:52 for teachers and health care providers,
33:55 public or private,
33:57 with the needs of the people they serve is important, is vital.
34:02 And finding scalable solutions to enhance health care
34:06 and to improve the quality of education,
34:09 including through distance learning, is also critical.
34:14 Nowhere is human capital accumulation more important than
34:18 in conflict-affected countries,
34:20 where a majority of poor people live today.
34:24 Assisting refugees and host communities is a key priority.
34:28 Security is essential, but soldiers can't win
34:32 the battle of development.
34:34 Change is more likely to come from small victories
34:37 won across millions of households over time.
34:42 For example, it is at the family and community level
34:46 that we build the acceptance for women to work outside the home,
34:50 for all children to be educated,
34:53 and for the contributions of girls to be recognized.
34:57 Indeed, educating girls involves more than
35:00 providing them with skills.
35:02 It means fostering self-sufficiency and encouraging their aspirations.
35:09 This is in everyone’s interest.
35:11 Closing gender gaps offers massive economic returns
35:15 for developing countries,
35:16 including the most fragile and conflict-affected.
35:21 None of this will be easy, but the World Bank Group
35:24 is uniquely endowed and positioned to support countries
35:27 with the four priorities I have outlined,
35:30 through finance and know-how for a government,
35:33 while mobilizing the private sector.
35:36 We have unmatched experience working with countries,
35:40 using technical experts across all the key sectors.
35:44 Most of our staff comes from developing countries,
35:47 often bringing experience from innovations in development
35:51 that they helped carry out in their home countries and regions.
35:55 I'm particularly grateful to the World Bank staff
35:58 that are here today that worked on Sudan.
36:01 Our staff are increasingly decentralized in country offices across the world;
36:07 we have also scaled up our footprint
36:09 in fragile and conflict-affected countries.
36:13 Over the last four years, we, the World Bank,
36:16 nearly doubled our footprint in FCV countries,
36:20 reaching over 1,200 staff at present, in fragile, conflict and violent countries.
36:28 We are proud of our response to COVID-19,
36:31 and we thank shareholders for their support.
36:34 From April 2020 through June 2021,
36:38 we committed more than $157 billion dollars,
36:42 the largest crisis response in our history.
36:45 We have helped countries tackle the health emergency
36:48 and provided financing for COVID-19 vaccines
36:52 in 62 countries.
36:54 We are pleased to partner with COVAX, AVAT,
36:58 the African Union, and UNICEF on our shared priority
37:03 to help countries purchase and deploy vaccines.
37:06 Our support for the poorest countries is at an all-time high,
37:11 including grants and highly concessional loans
37:14 to countries eligible to borrow from IDA.
37:17 While helping countries address the pandemic crisis,
37:21 we are also working to facilitate development
37:23 that is green, resilient, and inclusive.
37:27 Looking ahead, much more needs to be done
37:30 to secure a sustained recovery and a better development path for all.
37:35 The need for COVID-19 vaccines remains massive,
37:39 and we have financing readily available to keep supporting countries.
37:44 Low and middle-income countries face many concurrent challenges.
37:49 Some are dealing with fragility, as we see in the Horn of Africa
37:52 and the Sahel.
37:54 And all need to deliver services effectively,
37:58 finance resilient infrastructure, embrace digital opportunities,
38:03 and respond to climate change.
38:06 With the replenishment of IDA later this year,
38:09 African heads of state have called for donors
38:13 to be ambitious in supporting IDA’s critical mission
38:17 for the poorest countries.
38:19 The other parts of the World Bank, IBRD, IFC, and MIGA
38:24 will also continue to find ways to increase financing
38:28 and mobilize more resources,
38:31 including from the private sector.
38:34 This unprecedented crisis has set in motion a time of upheaval.
38:40 The many choices in coming years
38:42 will determine whether developing countries
38:45 suffer a lost decade or can usher in rapid growth
38:50 and economic transformation.
38:52 I've outlined huge endeavors,
38:55 bringing economic stability and growth,
38:59 leveraging the digital revolution, taking strong climate change action,
39:04 and investing in people.
39:06 To succeed requires the active participation of
39:10 the public and private sectors across countries,
39:13 civil societies and foundations,
39:16 indeed the whole international community
39:18 working together.
39:20 These efforts require leaders to be ambitious
39:24 for the prosperity of people.
39:26 And they require focus and scale throughout
39:29 our development work.
39:32 As I speak to people here in Sudan
39:35 and see the faces of young people in this hall,
39:38 I feel optimistic that we will help countries
39:42 avoid a lost decade.
39:45 As you walk your journey toward peace, prosperity and national unity,
39:52 the World Bank Group, along with the rest of international community,
39:56 are walking alongside you.
39:59 By working together, we will build a better development path.
40:03 The history of Sudan is yours to chart.
40:07 Thank you all very much.
40:17 [Kholood Khair] Thank you David.
40:18 I will invite you to join us on the stage, please David,
40:21 where we will be invited by our panelists
40:25 Amal Elfatih who is a public health expert,
40:28 Yousif Yahya, who is the founder
40:30 and managing director of Savannah Innovation Labs,
40:33 and Jawhratelkmal Kanu who is the founder and an economist
40:38 and founder of the Sudanese Women Economists Association.
40:50 Thank you very much for joining me.
40:57 Welcome to you all.
40:59 I'm going to ask you all the same question.
41:05 Can you all hear me?
41:07 I'm going to ask you all the same question
41:08 and I'll give you about three minutes to respond.
41:11 President Malpass has touched upon critical issues of concern
41:15 to us here in Sudan.
41:16 From your perspectives and given your areas of expertise,
41:19 what are the areas of intervention that you think will translate to
41:22 the biggest benefit for the people of Sudan?
41:25 In other words, what are the kinds of transformations that are needed?
41:28 Jawhara, let's start with you.
41:30 [Jawhratelkmal Kanu] Thank you Kholood.
41:33 Thank you Kholood for the question.
41:35 Of course, I cannot speak for all the people of Sudan
41:37 and you've only given me three minutes
41:39 but I can speak from my economics background
41:43 and in this special occasion, I would like to highlight a few things.
41:47 The first thing being the economic advancements
41:50 that has been taking place in Sudan over the past two years.
41:52 We've been witnessing some progress in the macroeconomic indicators
41:56 that we've sensed in our daily lives.
41:58 However, we all realize that
42:00 there is a lot that needs to be done and today.
42:02 And today, I would like to highlight three priorities
42:05 from my perspective.
42:06 The first thing being a distribution or redistribution of the benefits
42:10 or the economic benefits of the rifts
42:12 that are being created across the country
42:13 and in the capital especially.
42:15 Hulu, my grandmother from my father's side,
42:18 she was a farmer and she used to farm sesame ground nuts
42:21 in her small farm in the village.
42:23 but my grandmother who directly contributed to the exports of Sudan,
42:27 who directly contributed to improving the economy of Sudan,
42:29 never had electricity in her village,
42:31 she never had roads connecting her to the nearest big town,
42:34 and even when she got sick with malaria and died,
42:37 she never had access to hospitalization.
42:39 And it's not just my grandmother, it's a lot of people across Sudan.
42:41 It's millions of people, millions of farmers,
42:43 millions of men and women.
42:45 And that's why I think redistribution is important.
42:47 And I think it's important for the people of Sudan,
42:49 who are contributing to its economy
42:51 to feel that whatever they're contributing
42:54 is returning back in terms of services and so on.
42:57 It also helps people to have more incentive
42:59 to contribute to our taxation system, seeing the benefits or the outcomes
43:03 of what they've been paying.
43:04 The other point that I would like to highlight is
43:07 the issue of citizen engagement.
43:08 As I said, we've been going through lots of economic reforms,
43:11 but to what extent are the people of Sudan aware of these reforms?
43:14 To what extent are the people able
43:16 to judge and just say their opinion
43:20 about what's been happening on either on two or more
43:22 different levels of governance?
43:24 It's important for the people to know because, at the end of the day,
43:27 these decisions, even if they're being
43:30 taken at the capital here,
43:31 they're touching their daily lives,
43:33 hence, at the end of the day,
43:35 they're the people that are mostly affected.
43:38 It's not enough to use television, radio and social media
43:41 to share information about what's been happening
43:43 in a country where less than 60 percent
43:45 has access to power and electricity.
43:47 We need to be creative in the ways
43:49 that we use to reach the people in the different areas.
43:52 The second point is citizen engagement, as I mentioned.
43:55 Last one is youth unemployment.
43:57 So young people always hear that “okay, go into new fields”,
44:01 “try entrepreneurship”, “have your own business”
44:04 or “go to production”, “produce more”,
44:07 “go back to agriculture” and so on.
44:09 And these two things sometimes it's a bit challenging
44:12 because for my peers they have to make decisions
44:16 with only two options between acquiring more skills
44:18 or making a living.
44:19 And sometimes it's a difficult decision to make
44:21 because you wouldn't have enough resources
44:23 to pursue courses, pursue trainings or use that time
44:27 and make a living of your daily life.
44:31 Our educational system isn't equipped yet
44:33 to foster this kind of innovative or entrepreneurship kind of careers
44:38 and, from the other side, when it comes to agriculture,
44:40 again, we often hear the notion that why don't you start your own farm,
44:44 why don't you go back to farming.
44:47 It's the 21st century, I can't go back to farming
44:49 with the same tools that my grandmother was using.
44:51 We need to have a more innovative infrastructure
44:54 and we're in a connected world now
44:56 where we see that in the developed world,
45:00 people are using different machinery,
45:02 different technologies in farming and agriculture.
45:04 I think we feel that we need to have similar infrastructure
45:07 for us to go and be able to delve into that field as well.
45:11 Overall, the last point I would like to highlight is that
45:13 it's not just the state's job, it's not just the citizens,
45:16 it's just rather the collective actions where we can all work together
45:19 in order to advance this country further.
45:21 Thank you.
45:22 [Kholood Khair] Thank you so much Jawhara.
45:27 Yousif, same question to you,
45:29 what areas do you think are the priorities?
45:37 [Fainted sound]
45:39 [Kholood Khair] No, it's not.
45:50 [Inaudible speech] please?
46:02 [Yousif Yahya] Okay. Is it better now?
46:04 I mean, I can speak if you guys can hear me.
46:09 [Kholood Khair] Go for it.
46:12 [Yousif Yahya] Okay, I can speak if [Inaudible speech].
46:17 [JAWHRATELKMAL KANU] I think we need it for the live stream.
46:20 [Yousif Yahya] [Inaudible speech].
46:24 [Kholood Khair] Perhaps we can move over to Amal
46:26 just while we're sorting out your sound Yousif.
46:28 Amal, from a human capital perspective, what do you think are the priorities
46:34 both now and going forward?
46:37 [Amal Elfatih] Well, thank you Kholood,
46:39 It's a very exciting and historical time
46:41 for us in the health sector in Sudan.
46:43 Historical because the health sector was the first sector
46:46 to ever re-engage with the World Bank
46:48 after 30 years of isolation
46:49 and for that we are very much thankful
46:51 to the technical teams and the World Bank
46:53 for their great support.
46:54 And also exciting because it really comes with new doors
46:59 to new wide open horizons.
47:01 Seeing such partnerships grow
47:04 to the best of our people and for their best interest.
47:07 The Sudanese revolution was a unique revolution.
47:10 It was carried on the shoulders of its youth, young ladies, young men
47:14 racing to freedom, racing to a better future,
47:18 that only necessitates that our public sector
47:20 lives up to their aspirations.
47:22 This cannot happen without investing in youth,
47:25 invigorating the public sector and making sure that
47:29 we are retracting the young people
47:31 to be the new face of our public sector.
47:34 My own experience in creating and developing
47:37 a young talent acquisition program
47:40 for the restructured global health directorate
47:42 and the Federal Ministry of Health
47:44 tells me that it is very much doable
47:46 and it's very much successful.
47:48 It was an endeavor that was successful in attracting
47:52 young talents of 90 percent females
47:54 and they're now the heart and soul
47:56 of this directorate.
47:57 This is much doable and it is a scalable model
48:00 if it's further ratified and studied.
48:03 The inequitable distribution of services
48:05 across Sudan is a historical issue.
48:07 It's a very standing old issue
48:09 and if COVID-19 told us one thing is that
48:11 in order to adapt you'll have to be resilient
48:14 and accepting of new ideas.
48:16 My own experience in leading a digitalization project
48:19 from the health sector in Sudan
48:21 tells me that, now more than ever,
48:24 we are more accepting to be virtually treated than
48:27 we used to be back in 2016.
48:28 It doesn't have to be sophisticated, doesn't have to be high tech,
48:31 it could be our everyday regular bandwidth
48:35 extended to the extremities to help our people
48:38 in the extremities of this country.
48:40 In such challenged contexts, with competing priorities,
48:45 in a very strained economy
48:47 to address inequalities and decentralization,
48:49 I do believe that digitalization is
48:52 the answer to all our problems.
48:56 COVID-19 was quite a thing.
48:58 It was it was a very eye-opening experience for all of us.
49:02 It only redefined resilience to read as cooperation and solidarity.
49:08 For a public sector that is walking out of
49:10 30 years of destruction,
49:12 it only means that we need to really reinvigorate
49:16 our public sector.
49:17 That only means that we'll have to strike a balance
49:21 between having to address our urgent needs
49:24 but also strategically creating
49:27 a public sector that is fit for purpose
49:29 and that is strategically geared towards our 10 priorities
49:33 of this transitional government.
49:35 This needs necessitate new mindsets
49:38 and it necessitates a fresh soul
49:41 and this could only translate into broadening
49:44 the base for partners.
49:46 Not only engaging new ones
49:49 but the meaningful engagement
49:50 of the private sector with the public sector, of course,
49:53 as well as our civil society organizations.
49:56 Thank you Kohlood for the opportunity,
49:57 I'm really grateful to be here.
49:59 [Kholood Khair] Thank you very much Amal.
50:03 I think we can now turn back to you Yousif,
50:05 give you the opportunity to...
50:07 [Yousif Yahya] Okay, perfect. Is it better now? Yeah? Thank you so much.
50:10 I'll start and reflect on the first part
50:14 that everybody spoke about.
50:15 Through my work at Savannah, I've come to work with
50:18 a lot of bright Sudanese, both entrepreneurs and creative people,
50:22 and just looking at that ecosystem,
50:25 you've come to find that the ecosystem is
50:27 as diverse as Sudan is.
50:29 So, when we speak about youth engagement,
50:31 I think future change makers in Sudan should have a seat at the table
50:35 to co-create the policies that are currently happening.
50:38 Not just consulting the youth
50:39 while trying to implement programs,
50:41 but including them in a part of the implementation process
50:44 of these programs because if we're setting policies
50:48 that are going to take Sudan into the future
50:50 and they're supposed to serve this community,
50:52 this community has to be actively involved in creating that.
50:56 The Sudanese youth has taken part
50:59 in a lot of pan-African initiatives
51:01 that have set forth the start-up policy in Rwanda,
51:05 the start-up policy in Nigeria and just recently in Nigeria
51:08 one of the communities that we're part of
51:12 has ushered two unicorn company startups
51:15 in the digital payment sector.
51:17 These are billion dollar startups
51:18 and that's not because they found aid
51:21 from an international organization
51:22 or funding and subsidization from the government but no.
51:25 They found a truly supportive ecosystem
51:28 from the government,
51:30 they found a truly supportive ecosystem
51:32 from the private sector.
51:33 This is why I'm here to call upon from the policy makers
51:36 and the private sector in Sudan.
51:39 Additionally, the fourth industrial revolution is here.
51:42 People are speaking about autonomous cars,
51:44 people are going to speak about autonomous agriculture
51:46 and all of these things.
51:47 The educational system in Sudan right now
51:50 does not encourage any of that stuff.
51:52 We can't eradicate the educational system that we have
51:55 but we can actually inject things that are going
51:58 to help and support these things.
51:59 Digitization does not mean to kind of lay people off
52:04 or anything along these lines.
52:05 People are adaptable
52:07 just like you mentioned, Mr. President.
52:09 Eight out of 10 Sudanese people have mobile phones.
52:12 So, how can we tap into that opportunity in order for us
52:15 to ensure that we're keeping up with the world?
52:17 Sudan right now is a net data consumer
52:21 in the sense that
52:21 we're not contributing to the applications
52:24 that are being posted online and stuff like that.
52:26 So, when Mark Zuckerberg comes out and speaks
52:28 about the Metaverse
52:29 and AR and virtual reality,
52:31 we need to ensure that in 30 years
52:33 we kind of helped co-create what's currently happening
52:36 so we are not left back again in history.
52:39 just like happened in the past 30 years.
52:43 Last but not least, I think it's very important to
52:46 instill the ethics of collaboration and cooperation
52:51 between Sudanese youth and Sudanese across all lines
52:54 because if we are going to need to do this,
52:56 we need to kind of do this together.
52:57 In order for us to reach a common vision of
53:00 what we envision Sudan is
53:02 and for Sudan to rightfully take its place,
53:04 not only in the continent but also in the world,
53:07 as we see it.
53:09 Anywhere else in the world,
53:10 the machine has already been shaped.
53:12 So Sudanese diaspora play a role
53:13 in whatever countries that are in.
53:15 The thing in Sudan is that the machine is yet to be curated,
53:19 it's an empty canvas, it's an empty beautiful canvas
53:22 that we have all the tools
53:24 and all the support with everybody in this room
53:26 in order for us to draw and build
53:28 the Sudan that we actually envision.
53:29 Thank you so much.
53:35 [Kholood Khair] I'm afraid we're almost at a time for the live streaming
53:37 but before we go, I'd like to invite David
53:39 to share with us his closing thoughts.
53:41 You've heard from our panel but what are the issues
53:43 that you have raised could mean for Sudan.
53:47 What would you like this audience to take away?
53:49 What's one thing from this conversation?
53:52 [David Malpass] I was listening with great interest.
53:55 So one takeaway or one observation I have is
53:59 Sudan is going through a process to create a nation
54:02 and it will be one of the world's,
54:05 it is one of the world's biggest nations
54:07 and that means people will find their path
54:09 and they will work together to find a peaceful outcome
54:12 and everything that you were describing
54:15 is part of that path.
54:17 I was thinking about how do people...
54:20 [Kholood Khair] Just not to interrupt you, David, please pick up the hand mike,
54:23 it might be easier for everyone to hear you.
54:27 [David Malpass] How do people around Sudan know
54:31 that the reforms are underway?
54:33 One part of that is the economic reform,
54:35 so there are fewer shortages, fewer queues
54:39 for bread or for fuel,
54:41 and that's known to everyone.
54:44 And it may be that everyone can see
54:46 the support of the international community.
54:49 As there are challenges that should be notable.
54:53 Sudan is coming out of the isolation
54:57 and is seeing how much
55:00 the World Bank wants you to succeed
55:03 and the whole world wants Sudan
55:06 to succeed in this effort.
55:08 I was thinking about the businesses
55:12 that you all described,
55:13 how important it is that the youth be involved
55:16 and that new business techniques
55:18 be allowed to come in, including in agriculture.
55:21 As Sudan transforms the sector uses more equipment,
55:27 more productivity, more diversity of
55:31 the export markets or the internal markets.
55:35 All of that is within reach of Sudan as it as goes through this process.
55:43 And how the young people working together
55:46 and working within a system
55:49 that they can change and create.
55:52 That's going to be the important path.
55:54 I just re-affirm the World Bank wants to help where we can.
56:00 we have people eager to help
56:03 but the course itself comes from Sudan
56:06 as we've heard today.
56:08 [Kholood Khair] Thank you very much David.
56:14 I think for me a key takeaway is that for Sudan
56:17 both COVID-19 and the civilian led transition,
56:20 in very different ways,
56:21 offer a once in a generation chance
56:23 to build back but also to build forward better.
56:26 The country is experiencing multiple transitions.
56:29 Sudan can then forsee this window of opportunity
56:32 to open up and to build robust governance mechanisms
56:37 and whole scale an engagement, as our panel has said,
56:40 to combat economic inequality, the impact of climate change,
56:43 which we feel every year, increase opportunities nationwide
56:47 and set a new course to foster a country that works for all
56:49 as you mentioned earlier, David.
56:51 I'm confident that we can advance this agenda together.
56:55 You can continue to follow the conversations
56:57 during the World Bank Group's Annual Meeting.
57:00 Please check live.worldbank.org for further information on the events
57:04 which will commence from October the 11th.
57:07 Please join me, we have just time for Amal,
57:12 I just wanted to help you expand on
57:14 one particular aspect that you spoke of,
57:16 human capital, before we sign off
57:18 because I think your experience in the public sector
57:21 really adds to the private sector aspect that we had.
57:25 If you can just give us a 10 second input on that please.
57:29 [Amal Elfatih] That'll be hard in 10 seconds but what I'm trying to say is
57:32 the public sector as we say, as we see today,
57:38 there are a lot of hopes that
57:40 we as youth have for the public sector
57:44 and I can only see the future of public sector
57:47 in collaboration and trying to invigorate that
57:50 with the injection of new blood,
57:52 those are the young talents.
57:55 My own experience for the previous one year
57:59 only tells me that we can really build
58:02 on the passion of our youth.
58:04 We can really build on their interest
58:06 to serve for the better of this country
58:08 and they are willing and they are passionate
58:10 and they are really, really talented.
58:12 If they are really catered for in our public systems.
58:15 Again, we don't have that luxury,
58:17 we are meant to be in a context,
58:20 in a situation, where we are only left
58:22 to fix as we go down that journey.
58:25 That makes it really hard for all of us,
58:27 all of us here in this room today.
58:30 To strike that balance is going to be very difficult.
58:33 It doesn't come easy unless we are in collaboration, in cooperation
58:37 with our young talents and the new generation
58:41 and the new perspective.
58:41 They are the future of a public sector
58:44 for the upcoming 30 years
58:46 and not the previous 30 ones.
58:47 But also with the openness that we are seeing,
58:50 with our international community, with the World Bank in hand
58:53 and also with our private sector walking us down that road.
58:57 [Kholood Khair] Thank you very much.
58:58 That was longer than 10 seconds but I forgive you
59:00 because it was a very important contribution.
59:02 Please join me in thanking David Malpass
59:05 and our panel Jawhara Kanu, Yousif Yahya and Amal Elfatih
59:09 for their contributions.
59:11 [Amal Elfatih] Thank you very much.
59:15 [Kholood Khair] And to our viewers online
59:17 thank you very much for watching and goodbye.

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ANNUAL MEETINGS 2021

Tune in, ask questions, and share your views with participants from all over the world during the 2021 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

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