The Banking Executive Magazine - July Issue 2021

Investing in Sudan may seem like a weird idea, given that the nation has long been spoiled by civil war and conflict and crippled by sanctions. Now, the country’s status has trans- formed. The French government in- vited Sudan’s political leadership, as well as other world leaders, to an in- vestment conference in Paris on May 17, and there are good reasons to be- lieve it is the right move. Much has changed in Sudan since April 2019, when a popular uprising toppled President Omar al-Bashir. The country has been removed from the US Department of State’s “Spon- sors of Terrorism” list, and it has begun to cooperate with the Interna- tional Criminal Court (ICC). With the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund both acknowledging Sudan’s progress on economic re- forms, the country is moving closer to qualifying for debt relief. Currently, Sudan is governed by a Sudan Sudan… BACK ON THE GLOBAL BUSINESS MAP the BANKING EXECUTIVE 28 ISSUE 151 JULY 2021