Twenty-Five-Year National Strategy 2007-2031

1. Introduction

2. The Sovereign Affairs Strategy a. Introduction b. Government Institutions Cluster c. Defence and Security Cluster d. Foreign Relations Cluster e. Peace Cluster f. Judicial Institutions Cluster

3. The Economic strategy a. Finance and Foreign Trade Cluster b. Investment Cluster c. Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Cluster d. Industry Cluster e. Energy and Mining Cluster f. Private and Entrepreunerial Cluster g. Tourism Cluster

4. Capacity-Building and Community Development Strategy. a. General Education Cluster b. Higher Education and Scientific Research Cluster c. Informatics Cluster d. Science and Technology Cluster e. Guidance and Awqaf Cluster f. Information Cluster g. Culture Cluster 4 h. Youth and Sport Cluster i. Non Governmental Organisations Cluster j. Popular System Cluster

5. Social Services Strategy a. Introduction b. Health Cluster c. Drinking Water Cluster d. Social Welfare and Development Cluster e. Population Cluster f. Labour Cluster g. Public Service and administrative Reform Cluster h. Transport Cluster i. Roads and Bridges Cluster j. Communications Cluster k. Post and Telegraph Cluster l. Environment and Physical Development Cluster 5 In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful The National Council for Strategic Planning The General Secretariat The Twenty-Five Year National Strategy 2007-2031 The Vision - The Challenges - The Comprehensive Strategic Goals Is then One who Walks headlong, with his face Grovelling, better guided- Or one who walks Evenly on a Straight Path? Al Mulk (Ayah 22) Introduction

1. The Strategic thinking guided by the Nation’s values often foretells the future in accordance with a comprehensive vision as to the existing and expected challenges. It also allows adopting counter-measures that provide structured solutions.

2. The Sudan has known forward looking strategies since the advent of the national movement. Adopting a strategy has unified national efforts towards the strategic goal of national liberation and thus independence was attained on the 1st of January 1956. 6

3. The country has charted the bureaucratic development plan by adopting five-year and ten-year socio-economic plans. Thereafter strategic planning has been initiated. By so doing, the Sudan has single-handedly fostered a developmental path that was based on self-reliance and at the same enticing the dormant forces of the society to contribute in the achievement of sustainable development. The start was the Comprehensive National strategy (1992-2002) that has achieved marked success and ushered in the Twenty-Five Year Comprehensive Strategy.

4. The agreed upon scientific methodology in strategic planning has been followed. Strategic Planning Institutions have been established to prepare, implement and follow up plans. All sectors of the society, formal and popular institutions agreed upon the comprehensive vision. Thus a qualitative and necessary leap to a Twenty-Five Year national Strategy was put into motion: a. Moving from traditional bureaucratic approach to effective participation and strengthening the capacities of the national institutions in preparation, implementation and follow-up. b. Translating the strategic vision into plans of Five-Year phases and programs of identified resources and priorities. c. Achieving the expected quantitative and qualitative goals in a framework of national enhancement measures and professional programmes. This has led to increasing the capacities of the institutions and qualified them for efficient performance and better use of resources. 7

5. The National Twenty-Five Year Strategy targets all the Sudanese across the country. The search for a decent and free life and total justice would ultimately strengthen social peace and peaceful co-existence. It is envisaged that national security in terms of territory, people and resource would also be protected. It should also lead the country to assume a leading position among nations. 8 The Twenty-Five-Year National Strategy The Vision (Continue to build a Unified, Secured, Civilized, Advanced and Progressive Sudanese Nation) The people of the Sudan aspire to continue to build a progressive nation by the advent of the year 2031 in all aspects of political, economic, social and cultural life. The progress to be realized would allow the Sudan to assume an advanced position among the league of nations thus contributing in strengthening international peace and security and the welfare of the international community. Unified Nation: By strengthening the national consensus around the lofty values of the nation and the supreme interests of the country. Also by transforming pluralism and diversity into a source of dynamism and a factor for inspiring national unity and social cohesion, thereby reaching an advanced stage of co-existence among religions, positive cross-fertilization of cultures and lively blend of races. This would be evident by full equitable participation under an unswerving and honest national loyalty. Secured Nation: By strengthening the pillars of total justice among the nation’s individuals, groups and regions; by securing a decent life, a healthy environment and increased resources for the benefit of the present and future generations, and furthermore by laying the foundation for political stability and social justice, protecting the state from aggression and shielding the society against crime. Also by 9 strengthening advanced foreign relations geared towards equitable regional and international partnership. Civilized Nation: By making a qualitative leap from a traditionally stagnant rural into an active urban civil society. By developing the orderly participation of the civil society in tandem with the official role of the state, and broadening the full fidelity of the state and the society to human rights, the rule of law and free public opinion in the framework of modernization, cognizance and other experiences thereby harmonizing them with the basic values of the society. Advanced Nation By deepening forward-looking studies, strategic planning, assimilation of scientific and technological discoveries. Also putting to the fore economic and social development. Furthermore, adopting institutionalism and transparency albeit, with the corresponding mechanisms of monitoring and evaluation taking into account knowledge, experience and peaceful power-sharing. Progressive Nation Ensuring progress and continuous enhancement by gearing up its efforts to draw the goals of this strategy to a close and in so doing, the challenges would be quelled albeit, taking into account calculable results. 10 The Values The Twenty-Five Year National Strategy is based on the values of the Nation, established moral codes and settled cultural traditions, cognizant that faith in God gives life its basic meaning. Faith should equilibrate between what are worldly requirements and endeavours and what are spiritual values and ideals, without which life would not be meaningful. Guided by these values, the people of the Sudan endeavour to attain a degree of excellence and skill in all their humanitarian, political, economic, social and cultural activities. To the forefront of these values come the following:-

1. Justice is the basis of good governance, to which all Sudanese people aspire.

2. Freedom is a gift of God: all people are born free and shall not be subjected to oppression or servitude. This fundamental right shall be enjoyed by all the people of the Sudan and as such it must be guaranteed in all aspects of life in accordance with the law.

3. Shura and democracy are basic tenets of governance on which the State and the Community are founded and should be the points of reference of all aspects of public life.

4. Unity is achieved through national peaceful co-existence that respects diversity and recognizes it as a source of strength and vitality.

5. All citizens have the right to decent and honourable life, to basic human needs that respond to the legitimate aspiration of all generations 11

6. Honour and dignity are fundamental to strengthen the vitality and the dominance of the state and the society. They are important in preserving the dignity of the homeland, its citizens and quelling all threats to its wellbeing and national security.

7. Widening the full participation of political and social groups being a right for and duty of all. 12 The Challenges The Key Strategic Challenges are:

1. Maintaining our intrinsic excellence with which we progress and contribute to human civility, that is to synchronize between worldly aspirations and spiritual progression being an aspiring human vision.

2. Transforming our vision of unity to an ever advanced reality of political stability and social peace based on a platform of religious, political freedom and socioeconomic development. Furthermore fostering partnership in power and wealth thereby permitting our pluralism and diversity to further flourish to strengthen national unity.

3. Harmonizing economic freedom and social justice where human beings become the subject of the development and evolution process. The process of development would be carried out through reducing the pockets of poverty, creating job-opportunities and eradication of backwardness. Also by enabling all people to fully enjoy freedoms, rights and the equitable use of scientific and technological discoveries thus the living conditions of the citizen would transcend from meeting basic requirements to more meaningful aspirations.

4. Consolidating the tenets of the federal state and decentralized government in a manner that reconciles national unity with administrative independence. Also further developing the federal system by identifying responsibilities, functions and allocating funds.

5. Further expounding national and moral instruction to overcome deleterious social behaviour, foster productive work values and inculcate the culture of saving - all in the 13 context of enlightened use of time and better utilization of resources.

6. Continuing economic rehabilitation in the framework of complete structural reform. This would be realized by converting stability, growth and steadiness indicators into advanced partnership, free international exchange relations and assimilating the information economies to include added value and relative advantage.

7. Rehabilitating public and higher education, further developing vocational and technological syllabuses, upgrading scientific research, building up of abilities and adoption of technology. Furthermore, development and utilization of human resources would realize a productivity rate comparable with international standards. In addition, raising horizontal quality standards and vertical excellence in policy planning, program execution and operations management. The above are the points of reference of the Twenty-Five Year Strategy mapped as goals for the Sudan’s path to progress and advancement. It has rallied around it energy and experience. In the quest for realizing the goals applications and production would be perfected. This endeavour is motivated by the promise and sane management realities. 14 Sovereign Affairs Strategy 15 Sovereign Affairs Strategy Introduction

1. The ability to determine and chart the future is the essence of strategic thinking and solution. The future of a nation should not be determined by others or left to mere coincidence or formulated by incidental ramifications. The strategic thinking comprises inter alia the futuristic vision, the ability to sense looming dangers as well as the ability to avert these dangers in a timely manner. The futuristic vision is the antonym of inadvertence and guessing. It is a safeguard against sudden shocks and unexpected impacts. Thus, the solutions put forward would see realistic solutions and not untimely solutions dictated by crisis management.

2. It is therefore vital to bring together a national vision to continue to build a unified, secured, civilized and progressive Sudanese Nation in order to mobilize the community, utilize its potent capacities and groom its inherent strength.

3. The characteristics of the motherland lie in its historic and cultural heritage and the cohesion of its people which have enabled it to develop the Sudan on sound values that ensured its wellbeing, supported peace and stability and fostered relations with others.

4. The importance of the Sovereign Affairs Strategy emanates from the sectors it covers which are :- a) Government Institutions Sector b) Defence and Security Sector c) Foreign Relations Sector 16 d) Peace Sector e) Judicial Institutions Sector The Goal of Sovereign Affairs Strategy Safeguarding the sovereignty and the overall national security of the country, protecting its resources together with realization of peace and supporting national unity based on equality and Shura thereby ensuring justice and developing the country’s functioning to realize building a united, secured progressive and advanced Sudanese Nation. The Sovereign Affairs Objectives:

1. Freedom, Shura, democracy, justice, rule of law, freedom of expression and social justice are cardinal strategic principles which could only be realized efficiently through plans and programs.

2. Modernization calls for objective and serious studies and forward looking ambitious projects encompassing all aspects of life. Therefore the modernization of the Sudan becomes the national basic goal that endeavours to cope with the great scientific advancement and follow its steps to bridge the gap between the present and the future we yearn for to attain decent life embossed with self satisfaction, welfare, security and advancement.

3. Modernization requires by necessity a dynamic reaction and continued improvement to keep abreast of the ever spreading knowledge, science, communication and information technology: being both an essential requirement and an obligation, modernization in the final analysis would be the basis for welfare, security, and progress of the different communities. 17

4. Sustainable peace and development remain the formidable challenges facing the nation. This necessitates more comprehensive planning, efficient performance and addressing peace and stability issues with all its dimensions under internal and external variables in order to realize progress, security, stability and welfare of all citizens.

5. The foreign policy assumes particular importance due to the specific geo-strategic position of the Sudan. Furthermore, Sudan is qualified to play an important role within the Arab and African countries.

6. Sudan is qualified to play a greater role by continuing to dispel the economic challenges, resort to peaceful conflict resolution and protect Arab and African security. Furthermore, the broader meaning of national security which includes dimensions other than military and security has precipitated more challenges with regard to national security.

7. The security challenges facing the country require modernization of the armed forces and provision of human and material support. In addition, the armed forces should enjoy political support thus upgrading its capabilities to face the present and expected challenges, support peace and stability and protect national unity.

8. Taking into consideration that internal security and tranquillity are vital, modernizing and supporting security and police forces are equally important. This is all the more so in view of the fact that organized and trans-boarder crime has become more complicated, posing serious threats to national security.

9. Law reform and modernization is not only the guarantor of freedoms but is also the basis for the legitimacy of the state. Therefore reforming the present laws and legislations is vital in 18 order to render them responsive to the aspirations of people, buttressing the socioeconomic and political movement of the society and supporting the rule of law in accordance with the country’s believes and heritage.

10. Globalization and the emergence of information and communication world in addition to privatization led by necessity to an incremental state role. This in turn would affect public service systems and work methods bearing in mind that the concept of government and community administration emanated from a number of considerations, chief among which are the following:- 1) Effective administration of the government and the community requires an efficient and highly effective administrative institutions. 2) Modernization of the administrative institution is a necessity to preserve what has been achieved in economic reform. This modernization would positively reflect on enhancing and supporting investment and the development environment. Challenges facing the Sovereign Affairs Sector

1. Cessation of hostilities and conflicts thereby consolidating peace.

2. Reforming federal, state and monitoring institutions

3. Strengthening foreign relations in both the regional and international spheres to serve development and stability. 19

4. Modernizing the armed and other orderly forces to support peace and stability.

5. Reviewing and reforming laws and legislations in accordance with the functions entrusted to the judicial institutions. 20 Government Institutions Cluster 21 Strategy of Government Institutions Cluster Introduction Strategic planning is a medium to realize national ambitions. It transforms nations from a nascent phase to the phase where goals are identified, efforts rallied, and visions forecast in a quest to take- off. Forward looking strategies is the way to chart the future. The Concepts of the Twenty-Five-Year National Strategy: The established concepts of the Twenty-Five-Year National Strategy contained the following:- ƒ Creation of a united Sudanese Nation with unified goals and shared future. ƒ Cessation of armed conflicts, spreading of peace and rebuilding war impacted areas. ƒ Building of a society that provides welfare being of caring value where the nation is an extended family and the family constitutes the nucleus. The concepts of nation, society and family were the product of moral education that includes the individual, family, society and the nation where all were morally gridlocked. 22 The Presidency The Presidency represents the head of state and apex of the sovereignty pyramid. Therefore it has the following highest sovereign functions:-

1. Building the strong united Sudanese nation.

2. Strengthening and fostering the presidential system constitutionally and effectively thus protecting the unity of the country, fostering political stability and maintaining cohesion.

3. Expressing the historic denominational characteristics of the Sudan, charting the means that render the presidential system a custodian, initiator, and a driving force of the nation’ ambitions and aspirations.

4. Guarding the national tenets established by national reconciliation, popular acceptance and prohibiting partisan practices.

5. Tasking the presidential advisors to develop the federal political, economic, social and judicial institutions in addition to encourage and patronize the establishment of national organizations.

6. Requiring the presidency to abide by institutionalism, transparency and accountability. 23 The Means:

1. The President of the Republic shall have sovereign and executive powers.

2. The Presidential Advisors would as part of their functions activate the role of civil society institutions.

3. The Presidency would be supported by the necessary scientific and technological means to enable it to assume its sovereign leadership role. 24 The Council of Ministers The Council of Ministers represents the executive authority on the national level. A: The Functions:

1. Providing comprehensive information and scientific studies on the issues before the Council for ease of decision-making.

2. Building and managing early warning systems to sense expected threats and identifying points of weakness within the executive institutions so as to avert disasters and weaknesses.

3. Making a major qualitative step in documentation, archiving and establishing documentation and archive centres at federal and state ministries.

4. Protecting and promoting the national economy.

5. Protecting consumers and safeguarding their rights.

6. Conserving the environment.

7. Strengthening the Central Statistics Bureau so to serve as the authority responsible for statistics and surveys.

8. Establishing a national system for statistical information, unifying concepts, terminology and statistical methods.

9. Ensuring the welfare of migrant Sudanese. 25

10. Directing immigration and promulgate laws and legislations that support the implementation of the Strategy. B. The Means:

1. Creating a modern structure for the Council of Ministers that improves its executive performance, provides transparency and methodology thereby enabling it to lead the federal executive functions, monitoring and activating executive and strategic functions at the state level.

2. Upgrading the scientific and technical abilities of the personnel of the General Secretariat and promoting the capacities to meet the requirements of the implementation of the Strategy’s programs.

3. Profiling the national scientific expertise in the field of studies and research thereby enabling decision-making and establishing a data base on the aforesaid experts.

4. Providing equipment and disseminating information and communication culture in terms of hardware and software.

5. Enabling citizens to voice their opinion in respect of the government performance and decisions through electronic network and using the feed-back to take and review decisions. 26 The Federal System The Sudan has chosen the federal system to administer a vast country that has multi-cultures and traditions. The federal system needs to meet the aspirations of the citizens in equitable sharing of power and resources. A-The Objectives:-

1. Establishing an effective and progressive federal system that enables the nation to realize its goals of freedom, peace, justice and development.

2. Assimilating the practical experience of federal system to address weaknesses and determining the appropriate administrative division of the country in terms of states, governorates and local councils; upholding and developing strengths.

3. Activating coordination and communication among all levels of federal rule by delegating more powers and funding to the states and the local councils to improve services albeit with strict controls on expenditure.

4. Improving the states’ revenue and supporting them with human resources and other requirement to enhance efficiency in revenue collection.

5. Completing the power sharing process.

6. Preparing local councils organizational and staffing tables taking into consideration the volume and type of their activities in addition to capacities and areas of expertise. 27

7. Developing and activating the role of the peoples’ non tribal administration.

8. Ensuring the non-dominance of tribalism and regionalism and enabling members of the community to be aware of their effectiveness and participation in power and wealth sharing and upholding the spirit of citizenship.

9. Encouraging training at all levels.

10. Supporting the Federal System Bureau so as to develop experience and expertise. The Means:

1. Developing the federal rule expertise by increasing inter-departmental coordinating capacity, developing communication capacities and encouraging Shura and participation by convening meetings, seminars and specialized workshops.

2. Fostering a spirit of national belonging instead of tribalism and regionalism by espousing tribal conflict resolution mechanisms and supporting less developed states through directing funding to exploit resources and energies thereby achieving their developmental aspirations.

3. Augmenting the administrative efficiency through espousing training, upgrading capacities and continued performance evaluation.

4. Reviewing and coordinating the legislations at all level so as to remove overlap and ambiguities. 28 Furthermore establishing appropriate departments that meet the needs of federal rule units in different states.

5. Reforming the underlying organization of governorates, local councils and popular administrative committees. 29 The National Council The National Council is the supreme legislative and oversight body at the national level. The council functions through specialized committees that are almost congruent with the administrative organ in order to facilitate legislation and oversight. The following are its objectives and means:-

1. The legitimate representation of the Sudanese people, individuals and political and civil institutions.

2. Taking due regard of establishing a Council composed of two-chambers. The first would have a geographic and sectoral representation of the active sectors of the community. The second would represent the states and national personalities.

3. According importance to the representation of the youth (50% of the population) on special constituencies at the level of the National Council and state and local legislative councils.

4. Reviewing the Constitution with the purpose of identifying the inadequacies of the previous experience.

5. Fostering the state legislative council so as to represent all the people in a manner that overcomes regionalism and tribalism.

6. Promulgating legislations that strengthen the federal government while according the states more joint constitutional prerogatives. 30

7. Strengthening parliamentarian relations regionally, continentally and internationally. The Means:

1. Amending election laws to enable modern forces to assume a leading role by virtue of their historic contribution.

2. Continuing on the national reconciliation policy that shields the government against partisan conflict.

3. Establishing regional, continental and international parliamentarian groups. Multi-Party System The Multi-Party System was the system embraced to fulfil peaceful power sharing even before the adoption of the 1998 Constitution. The Objectives:

1. Developing partisan practice, laying the general environment conducive to its maturity and efficiency and introducing and disseminating Shura to enable sustainable and peaceful power sharing.

2. Encouraging political parties to coexist and foster reconciliation instead of conflict.

3. Establishing political parties on non regional or sectarian basis. 31

4. Reaffirming the necessity of a legislation regulating the activities of political parties and organizations.

5. Increasing political culture and awareness of Sudanese citizen.

6. Making civil society organizations a partner in political life. The Means:

1. Encouraging dialogue among different political powers to agree on a national peaceful power sharing program.

2. Encouraging political parties and organization to build its party organs scientifically and foster political participation.

3. Building institutions to promote the dissemination of political culture and awareness.

4. Activating the role of civil society organizations, their participation in charting and reviewing the implementation of plans and programs that follow their activities by periodic meetings with the executive organs. 32 Defence and Security Cluster 33 Defence and Security Strategy Introduction The Twenty-Five Year Strategy has taken into consideration the circumstances conducive for realization of the objectives together with regional and international variables in addition to coordination between the armed, the police and the security forces. The military purpose of the strategy is to defend the Sudan, a vast and large country; it has sought to further the capabilities of the police and security forces in averting and controlling internal threats and challenges. The plan encompasses three sectors: a) 1st Sector – The Armed Forces b) 2nd Sector – The Police Forces c) 3rd Sector – The Security Forces (Sudan National Security and Intelligence Service) The Characteristics of the Defence Strategy: The Strategy is based on the following:- A. The Armed Forces embrace a military doctrine to contain national security threats which would enable the undertaking of offensive operations to meet and defeat any prospective aggression. B. Building the Armed Forces by adopting a strategic balance. 34 C. Establishing a department for the mobilization of reserves. D. Preparing the armed forces in terms of strategy to meet future developments. The Security and Defence Threats:- A. The ramifications of regional and international conflicts. B. The cultural incursion aiming at identity desecration and cultural hegemony. C. Natural calamities such as drought, desertification, epidemics, floods, water shortages, earthquakes etc. D. The international quests to control the Red Sea, the Nile and natural and human resources. E. The possibility of burial of toxic wastes, fraudulent commodities and other illegal commercial practices. F. The negative impact of foreigners on Sudanese society. G. The emergence of extremism and terrorism. 35 The Security and Defence Threats:- A. Ethnic and regional violence and armed conflict. B. The threats endangering peace, national unity, and the social fabric and cohesion of the country. C. The threats and impact of migration and internal population movements. The Strategy of the Police Forces:- The strategic plans of the police forces were evolved (in the medium and long term) along four detailed phases that included:- A. Focusing on the technological and electronic development on combating crime and protecting the country from internal and external threats. B. Realization of the police force’s mission to maintain security, the image of the government and protection of national economic, political and social projects contained in the Strategy. C. Realization of optimum security and stability levels, confronting present threats and future challenges facing the Sudanese nation. The Internal Security Strategy:- A. Protecting The Sudan’s course towards an overall renaissance in, and the forging of effective regional partnerships. 36 B. Possessing and utilizing advanced communication technology. C. Fostering institutionalism at all government sectors. D. Encouraging civil society organizations to play an effective and positive role vis-à-vis the state and the society. E. Promoting the values of unity and peaceful coexistence among all citizens. F. Protecting natural and water resources, optimizing their use and averting the threats of environmental and dangerous toxic wastes. G. Researching the impact of globalization in the fields of trade, transport and energy; implementing intellectual property norms. H. Activating the efforts to benefit from a relative advantage of the country in non-chemical production. I. Exploiting good neighbourliness to foster regional and international security and forestalling the negative impact of international conflict on the region. J. Forging the necessary plans and directives in order to further security considerations among important government departments. 37 Conclusion:-

1. Fostering security, peace and stability will not be easily attained without due regard to development, determination, proper preparatory arrangements, disregarding negative concepts and raising awareness among both citizens and law enforcement personnel.

2. The armed forces and the security services are cognizant that the ever revolving change in all aspects requires strategic planning that takes into account both the variations and challenges thereby forging a strong government and social system ensuring an overall renaissance and decent life. 38 Foreign Relations Cluster 39 Foreign Relations Strategy Introduction The geostrategic position of the Sudan has contributed in cross fertilizing its civilization and enriching its cultural and religious values which have enabled it to be responsive to the international community in establishing a foreign relation serving its interests, safeguarding its security and wellbeing and its socioeconomic development. It has also reaffirmed its role in maintaining international peace and security, promoting peaceful conflict resolution mechanisms among states, fostering international cooperation in conformity with international agreements and covenants, good neighbourliness, non – interference in the internal affairs of others and commitment to the rights and the freedoms of the nations. Motivating and Positive Factors of Foreign Relations: The geostrategic position of the Sudan, its natural and human resources and its steadfast political leadership together with peaceful power sharing and equitable distribution of wealth give an opportunity to effect a democratic, consultative and plural system representing Sudanese traditions. The different mechanisms and the inherent spirit of the Sudan Diplomatic Service constituted a motivated intrinsic force to fulfil the supreme national interests. 40 The Challenges: A. Amid the ongoing efforts to bring an end to the conflicts, and the realization of peace and stability, constituted a major challenge in projecting The Sudan as a united, cohesive, stable and multi cultural and multiethnic country. B. Development and transfer of technology to encourage national, comprehensive and balanced development. C. Confronting the biased campaigns against the Sudan and in particular those connected with terrorism and placing some countries including the Sudan as countries patronizing terrorism. The Directives of the Twenty-Five Year Foreign Relations Strategy A. The directives include the vision and the message of the federal government and have taken into consideration the changes which took place in the world and affected international relations after the end of the Cold War and the advent of globalization with its political, socioeconomic and cultural ramifications. In addition the enormous effect of the communication and technological revolution which contributed in forging the new international order that gave the concepts of development and progress a dimension that requires liberalization and reaction with the outside world in the spirit of affirming the principle of interdependence and mutual interests. Therefore, we would do better to conceive globalization as a civilized endeavour to cultivate relations with other nations. The Sudan should deal with it aware to the benefits from the opportunities it avails and also the challenges it poses to avert its negative impacts. All with 41 upholding the principles of the Sudan’s mission and its civilization outlook. Emanating from this understanding, it is imperative to take the following measures to facilitate interaction with other nations:- 1) Completing the transformation to a democratic, plural and consultative system. 2) Doubling the efforts to incorporate the Sudanese economy in the international multilateral trade system and completing the arrangements to accede to the World Trade Organization. 3) Esteeming the cultural and social values and protecting them from negative external influences. 4) Encouraging the cultural and civil dialogue particularly on religion and refuting and disproving false allegations made against Islam and its teachings. 5) Protecting the national security in all its spheres as an absolute necessity to realize national interests. B: Connected with the above, the role the Sudan has to assume in the framework of bilateral and multilateral cooperation activities. In addition consolidating relations with neighbours and regional integration groups to realize joint cooperation objectives, fulfilling regional integration, political solidarity, coordination with the Non-Aligned Movement, the Group of 77 and the Organization of Islamic Conference. 42 C: Introduction to Foreign Relations Strategy:- The Twenty-Five Year Strategy starts from where the Comprehensive National Strategy (Ten-Year Plan) stopped in order to surpass the inadequacies; develop the constructive points; forecast the future and exploiting the advantages of the geo strategic position in building foreign relations. Foreign relations geared at protecting Sudan’s independence, security and at the same time develop its resources through correct reading of the international and regional changes particularly of post 11 September. With the advent of globalization, exploitation of modern technology, the flow of communication and enabling the private sector to play a leading role would equally contribute in building foreign relations. The three pronged tenets of the Foreign Relations Strategy; bilateral, regional and international, would realize cooperation, good neighbourliness and mutual interests. Furthermore, these tenets would realize coordination with regional and international blocks, fostering peaceful coexistence, maintenance of peace and safeguarding mutual interests. In addition, the perspective of foreign relations aims at fostering international efforts to reform the international order in a manner that would guarantee equity and justice for the developing countries, banning mass destruction weapons and combating terrorism. The approach would be both realistic and flexible and interlacing Sudan’s cultural landscape with the internationally agreed upon principles. 43 The Objectives:- The objectives of the foreign relations strategy are summarised as follows: Conservation of sovereignty, national security, natural resources, realization of peace, serving sustainable development goals and programs, attracting foreign investors together with donors to develop war impacted areas, supporting international cooperation to combat terrorism and projecting the heritage of the Sudanese civilization. The Priorities: The first and foremost priority is the realization of sustainable peace all over the Sudan and securing international assistance to rehabilitate war destroyed areas. Secondly comes lifting the Sudan from the list of countries patronizing terrorism. Thirdly lifting the US imposed economic sanctions and normalizing Sudan’s relations with the European Union. Lastly accelerating the process of accession to the WTO. The Means to Implement the Strategy: The Sudanese diplomacy is the only mean to implement the strategy. In order to fulfil its role in an optimal manner, it is imperative to provide functional necessities. These are summarised as follows: allocating financial resources, fielding trained human resources, adopting specialization in all aspects of diplomatic functions in addition to linguistic proficiency. Furthermore, technical training on computers and communication, enhancing security awareness and coordination with all government and popular organization involved in the field of foreign relations. 44 Sectors and Time-Frames of Foreign Relations A. Peace Sector: The Foreign Relations Strategy emanated from a bona fide conviction that comprehensive peace represents an absolute turning point in the history of the Sudan and a fundamental transformation in its foreign relations on different fronts and bilateral, regional and international levels. In lieu of the above, the peace plan comprises the following arrangements:- Ensuring political and diplomatic support as well as bilateral, regional and international economic assistance required to implement the peace agreements within the framework of the rehabilitation and reconstruction programs. Thereafter moving to an economic growth and sustainable development phase in war impacted areas. In addition, pursuing the implementation of the recommendations of the Oslo meeting, the African Union, the Fund established by the League of Arab States for the reconstruction of the South, as well as the dissemination of the culture of local and foreign voluntary work. B. Bilateral and Regional Relations Sector: African Relations Sector The plan on this sector could be summarised in boosting cooperation mechanism with neighbours through joint commissions, active participation in the African Union activities and gatherings such as the COMESA, Sahil and Sahara Group, IGAD and bilateral and regional coordination and cooperation in the fields of security, communication, energy and water uses. Also linking land locked neighbour countries to Sudanese ports. 45 In addition, coordinating with the African countries to take a united African position vis-à-vis NEPAD, realizing the goals of AEC and expanding resident diplomatic representation with Western and Southern African countries. The Arab Relations Sector: Fostering bilateral and multilateral Sudanese Arab relations at all levels in conformity with the framework of joint Arab effort. Safeguarding the sovereignty and unity of Arab Countries in accordance with the Charter of the League of Arab States, exert joint efforts to establish the Arab Common Market, collective cooperation in the information, educational and cultural fields to avert the negative implications of globalization. Furthermore, supporting the just peace efforts aiming at the establishment of an independent Palestinian State. At the bilateral level, furthering close relations with Egypt based on cooperation to serve the interests of both countries and resolve the border dispute. The Islamic Relations Sector: A. Promoting bilateral political, economic, cultural, social, scientific and educational relations. B. Coordinating with the Islamic countries to rebut and disprove false allegations and accusations against Islam in addition to rectify the erroneous concept of Islamic fundamentalism and its objectives. The Asian Relations Sector: A. Continuing the bilateral cooperation with Asian countries that have hitherto forged with the Sudan political, economic and trade cooperation relations. Attracting more direct investment 46 in the fields of energy petrochemicals, agro industry and development of scientific, educational, technical and cultural cooperation. B. Cooperation on political issues of mutual interest particularly meeting globalization challenges, UN reform and the restructuring of international financing institutions. C. Linking The Sudan with Asia via different transport and communication routes to facilitate cooperation, in particular international trade. The European Relations Sector: A. Continuing and developing the Sudanese European dialogue aiming at normalizing their relations and resuming cooperation in the framework of Cotonou agreement. B. Fostering relations with the European Parliament and consolidating cooperation with national parliaments in the framework of the Union of International Parliaments. C. Attracting European investments, capital and advanced technology. D. Drawing development support and assistance to war affected areas. E. Establishing Sudanese information presence in Europe, expanding diplomatic representation and developing relations with universities and scientific research centres. 47 The US Relations Sector: A. Exerting efforts to improving relations with the US through diplomatic means, cooperating with it to realize peace in the country and reconstruction of war affected areas in addition to combating international terrorism. B. Endeavouring to benefit from the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act which provides trade and investment preferential treatment to African countries in order to promote Sudanese exports. C. Attracting US investments and technology and endeavouring to open US markets to Sudanese products. International Cooperation Sector: This sector includes multilateral cooperation in the framework of the UN, international institutions and other related fora. The requirements of the New International Order and globalization have necessitated consolidating the role of the Sudan in this field, Sudan’s role, promoting coordination mechanisms with the developing countries to deliberate issues of mutual interest particularly challenges posed by globalization, restructuring of the UN, reforming the Security Council and international finance institutions. This is in the quest to realize the aspirations of developing countries to widen their participation in the decision-making regarding political and economic issues of interest to them. Furthermore, participation would facilitate the process of sustainable development in these countries. Among what the Sudan endeavours to realize are the following: 48 A. Accelerating accession to WTO and addressing debt problems in the framework of the initiative of debt ridden poor countries (HIPC) and benefit from this initiative. B. Enticing assistance of the international organization and institutions to support building the comprehensive peace process all over the Sudan. C. Normalizing Sudan’s status at the Human Rights Committee and linking the Consultative Council on Human Rights with similar institutions in brotherly and friendly countries. In addition, endeavouring to disseminate the proper concepts of human rights that encompass all international covenants, values and civilizations. Furthermore, challenging all attempts to impose a unilateral concept of human rights. D. Maximising the benefits of the Nile Basin Initiative that aims at common sharing of waters, and realization of sustainable development in this area. E. Working and coordinating with other countries of the Nile Basin to benefit from the artesian waters particularly the waters of the Nubian sand rocks. 49 Peace Cluster 50 Peace Strategy Introduction Peace is an affirmed government strategy. It is an ultimate goal and a lofty policy. In the process of peace realization, all policies dovetail. The following constitute the objectives of peace:-

1. The Goal: - It is represented in the realization of peace that unfolds the unity of the Sudan, its territory and people on a platform of agreement. In order to achieve this objective the following should be fulfilled:-

2. The Directives to Realize the Goal: A. Peace is the first and foremost priority. B. Achieving peace is the responsibility of the government and the entire society. C. The lasting peace could only be attained by the will of all Sudanese. Therefore, rallying the national will should be put to the fore thereafter soliciting other means. D. The implementation of the programs of this strategy is the direct responsibility of the Presidential, Legislative and Executive institutions and civil society organizations. E. The terms of reference of this plan are the Constitution, Peace and National Reconciliation Agreements, the executive 51 decisions and the conclusions of National Dialogue meetings regarding peace.

3. The Overall Objectives: • Consolidating government control over all parts of the country. • Exerting earnest efforts to realize a comprehensive peaceful settlement. • Uniting the internal front, making unity the responsibility of all, unanimously coveted in addition to fostering confidence building by eliminating disparities in development, living conditions and basic services between the north, the south and less developed areas. • Building the unity of mind among Sudanese by inculcating socioeconomic links. • Utilizing foreign relations to promote peace.

3. The Detailed Objectives: A. Completing government control over all parts of the country: By ensuring military and security presence all over the country thereby safeguarding the sovereignty and unity together with training administrative and executive cadres and deploying them to government departments and institutions all over the country. 52 B. Exerting earnest efforts to realize a comprehensive peaceful settlement: The comprehensive peaceful settlement remains a strategic objective which, the government would pursue through different means while up keeping its sovereignty and might to secure peace following conflict resolution. C. Encouraging internal unity, making unity attractive and unanimously coveted. The government exert efforts to unite the internal fronts, unifying the visions of the political and popular forces regarding major issues and utilize them to serve peace issues. This endeavour would be through consolidated initiatives and approaches with other external and internal political forces without exception. D. Fostering confidence building by eliminating development, living conditions and basic services disparity between the north, the south and less developed areas: The government would have to allocate special funds and attract foreign assistance to implement development projects in war affected areas to raise the living conditions therein. It must also provide basic services namely education, health services, drinking water and infrastructure to support confidence building and strengthen the bondages of unity and integration. 53 E. Building the unity of mind among the Sudanese through inculcating socioeconomic links: This would be attained by furthering social contacts in between all parts of the country and in particular conflict affected areas, encouraging human and economic relations; peaceful coexistence on common territories and forging relations between tribes, groups, families and individuals to strengthen public awareness vis-à-vis peace and unity. F. Utilizing foreign relations to promote peace: Foreign relations should be utilized to support peace, national unity, reconstruction and development of conflict affected areas. This would be achieved by engaging Arab, friendly, all other countries and voluntary organizations to implement government sponsored projects. Furthermore, development funds financed by external resources should be established to support the development of these areas.

5. The Requirements of the Peace and Unity Plan: A. Effective leadership at all levels. B. Accurate data on which the plan is based. C. Financial resources to achieve the goals of the plan. 54 Judicial Institutions Cluster 55 The Judicial Institutions Strategy Introduction The reform and development of government bodies, legal, oversight and judicial institutions together with the protection of constitutional and human rights that would achieve the required balanced and equitable socioeconomic development to realize political stability stands as one of the most important challenges facing the Twenty-Five Year Strategy. General Directives and Strategic Objectives:

1. The endeavour to review and reform laws represent the factual interpretation of values of justice within the society, reaffirmation of respect of human rights which is affirmed by religions and international covenants. This would be undertaken through indigenizing legislations and developing provisions in concomitance with international and regional development.

2. Fostering the rule of law, providing prompt justice and disseminating legal awareness together with focussing on the philosophy of settlement through activation of the social means thereby reaching the required results.

3. Coordinating the activities of the judicial institutions by the Council of Justice and crystallizing their visions on the local, regional and international fields.

4. Training and upgrading the capabilities of the personnel of judicial institutions. 56 The Judicial Institutions Structure:

1. The Judicial Institutions include the Judiciary, Ministry of Justice, the Constitutional Court and the Bar Association; each has a special law governing its activities in order to achieve justice and the rule of law.

2. The Strategy endeavours to review and classify the judicial institutions structure and coordinating between them by unifying their visions and concepts in order to integrate their roles in the framework of a legal system expressing the nation’s aspirations to a federal state providing equality and justice to all members of the society. The Requirements of Development:

1. Reforming and reviewing the laws to conform with the religious values of the nation, the federal system and the peace agreement in addition to upgrading the institutions in accordance to their functions.

2. Reviewing syllabuses of legal studies and post-graduate studies at universities in order to achieve indigenization, modernization, diversification and linking research to the needs of government and the society.

3. Modernizing the systems of all the judicial institutions by electronic networking and facilitating exchange of information among them and similar foreign counterparts.

4. Upgrading the law profession, training members of the Bar Association and strengthening the tenets of its stability. 57

5. Realizing effective presence for the military and police justice departments and establishing coordination mechanisms between them and judicial institutions. 58 Economic Strategy 59 The Economic Strategy Introduction The Twenty-Five Year Strategy is based on the overall vision, national goals, economic directives and the working papers submitted by different economic institutions. The economic strategy framework is based on dynamism and sustainable success on a number of integrated and homogenous principles and directives derived from the Twenty- Five Year vision. Those principles include, the Sudanese social reference founded on up keeping the lofty values, espousing qualitative progress, advancement, justice and equality in the distribution of wealth in addition to work opportunities based on personal merits without isolation or seclusion. This was all the more so in a world where the network activities and mutual interests of nations and countries are widening. The encouraging theoretical and applied basis of the Comprehensive National Strategy (1992-2002) and the philosophy and ideas thereof were not only beneficial in averting the negative effect of that phase but also catalytic in the sought after socioeconomic transformation. The country therefore aspires to assume a leading position among the middle income countries by the end of the strategy. 60 The National Vision: (Continue to build a unified, secured, civilized advanced and progressive Sudanese Nation) The Philosophy and Economic Goal: An economic pattern committed to centrality as a limitation and welfare as a goal where wealth should not circulate among only some. The pattern was committed to forestall extravagance and resource wastage, combat poverty and the grip of deprivation. It would allow the entrepreneur the freedom to earn without being subjected to discrimination, corruption or corruptive and fraudulent practices. By controlling the market forces, production and legitimate profit-making, social justice nurtured by cultural diversity and superior traditions would be established. Endowed by benevolence and generosity, the human character of the Sudanese individual would shift from good citizen to good society. The Overall Objectives of the Economic Strategy: ¾ Establishing the economy of integrated information and knowledge, perfecting the intellectual capabilities to mobilize the factors of innovation, growth and diversification. ¾ Inculcating effective economic performance through mobilization of financial and production resources. Building and improving the basic institutional, legal and procedural structures which regulate the economic movement thereby fostering transparency and combat corruption and economic waste. 61 ¾ Realizing the structural balance in the national economy sector in the interest of diversifying production, increasing productivity, improving services and quality. ¾ Realizing financial and fiscal reform, strengthening and developing the banking system so as to cope with the international economic developments and the peculiarities of the local situation. ¾ Increasing the competitive, absorptive and protective capabilities of the national economy in respect of external economic pressures, the negative impacts of economic globalization and international economic crisis. ¾ Strengthening the national economy and shielding it from economic hegemony in addition to maintaining its positive, pioneering and universal role in the regional and international system. ¾ Developing and strengthening an economic pattern based on individual and collective characteristics in terms of services and exploitation to strengthen the efficient use of wealth and national resources. ¾ Establishing balanced development on a platform of justice, equality, qualitative and quantitative improvement in living conditions, providing a decent quality of life for all and protecting them from poverty and deprivation. ¾ Encouraging the private sector to assume an advanced position in the leadership of comprehensive national development, enabling it to contribute to all aspects of economic activities through diversifying its contributions, capabilities and resources. In addition stimulating it to widen 62 and expanding the fields of partnerships with the foreign private sector. ¾ Increasing the economic, institutional and administrative capabilities of the public sector through efficient use of inclusive economic policies that are absorptive and stimulant to the components of comprehensive national development and sustainable economic growth. ¾ Developing and promoting the country’s foreign economic relations and elevating them to the levels of economic exchange, cooperation and integration on bilateral, regional and international levels. All in conformity with equality, mutual benefits and interests, independent national resolve and safeguarding identity, national heritage and culture. ¾ Fostering human resources by training, rehabilitation and provision of basic social services such as health, education and potable water. ¾ Reducing unemployment and widening national job opportunities. ¾ Addressing the dangers and ramifications of migration, internal population movements and war and conflict impacts. ¾ Establishing and affirming social and geographic dimension of balanced economic development through developing infrastructure and distributive structures which propel the development in energy, communications, transportation, roads, bridges, irrigation canals, services and markets. ¾ Tapping the local and migrant intellectual and experience reservoir to bridge the knowledge gap in studies, economic research and modern technology. 63 Appraisal of the Post Comprehensive National Strategy Period (2003-2006) Following the end of the Comprehensive National Strategy on 2002, the government has endeavoured to chart long term twenty five year strategies. However the implementation of these strategies despite solid preparatory activities was halted due to the advent of the final phases of achieving peace in the Southern Sudan which unfolded the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Thereafter, the situation in Darfur became untenable together with the continued efforts to normalize Sudan’s foreign and economic relations with regional and international organizations. As a result, the period 2002-2006 witnessed activities based on the overall economic policies adopted by the medium term public sector. These policies were the basis for preparing and implementing the general public budget being the basic tool to realize the entire specialized short term objectives of government departments’ programs. Subsequent to 2002, the implementation of these policies unfolded extensive economic mobility to which the increased flow of foreign investments and the exploitation and export of oil, as of the beginning of the millennium, had appreciable contribution. Consequently, the Sudanese economy was subjected to clear restructuring. The tilt was in favour of the industrial sector at the expense of the agricultural sector. However, the production and services bases have witnessed expansion and the external economic liberalization has incremented towards more integration with the international economy. This was demonstrated by the realization of a leap in exports, imports and flow of foreign investments into the country which in turn supported economic stability. 64 By time, the opportunities to improve the financial and fiscal performance became apparent. The post 2002 period has witnessed continued financial reform represented in achieving tax reform, scaling down of subsidies, continued tax exemption to attract local and foreign investments and decreasing production costs. The same period witnessed an increase in internal finance tools, for which the Sudan was a pioneer. Systems were developed and its applicability circle was expanded through GMC and GIC geared at expediting national development. An incremental fiscal policy to bolster saving and investment was launched during the same period. The policy has supported the banking system, improved its indicators represented by the increase in foreign currency reserves, strengthening the balance of payments and stabilizing the exchange rate. The policies also led to marked control on the performance of money circulation and fostered confidence in the national currency which in turn increased local deposits and expanding the banking system through privatization and the establishment of new banks. Similarly the activities of the stock exchange and attracting foreign resources increased. The successes thus achieved have enabled the country to steadily march towards fostering the pillars of economic performance and providing the environment conducive to reaping the benefits of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in terms of distribution of wealth, supporting federal rule economies and widening the circle of political reconciliation culminated by the establishment of National Unity Government. The aforementioned successes were nevertheless being confronted by a number of difficulties, negative internal and 65 external challenges which endangers the future of sustaining the economic performance. The challenges could on the whole be summarised as follows:- The Future Challenges: ¾ Meeting the expedited change that the economy is hitherto undergoing due to the overlapping of the economic and financial implications and commitments of the peace agreements with the changes and conditions of the new international economic order. Moreover, the impact on the local, national capabilities and potentialities required generating sustainable economic growth incentives and neutralizing the developmental, administrative and organization setback factors remain a challenge. ¾ Developing and reaffirming the economic approach based on centrality, self reliance, optimum use and distribution of wealth and national resources. ¾ Increasing the technical and analytical component in production and productivity to increase the added value and relative advantage of the national economy. ¾ Directing the economic policies towards poverty reduction strategies and increasing the human development rates and indicators up to international standards. ¾ Confronting the impacts of economic expansion, increase of the internal demand and the repercussions on prices, production costs and competitiveness. 66 ¾ Implementing the financial reform program which includes; continued tax reform, national accounting system, structuring the general budget, meeting the requirements of fulfilling transfers to the states, security requirements, in addition to the limited in-country resources and the increase in domestic debt. ¾ Coping with technological developments in the international banking system, addressing the weaknesses of the structure and assets of the local banking system and raising them to the standards of large banking and financial institutions. The External Challenges: ¾ The negative effects of the increasing external liberalization, the growth in imports in particularly of consumer’s goods, the exposure of the national economy to external capital crisis, the impact of currency exchange rates and increasing competition regarding markets and strategic commodities. ¾ Facing the rapid changes in the international economy by adding superior standard and competitive edge to national products and services rendering them capable of competing in external markets. ¾ Combating money laundering and trans-border smuggling. ¾ Taking preventive measures against the negative implications of large economic entities, regional 67 and international economic blocks influence on the performance of the export sector and local production resulting from acceding to WTO agreements. ¾ Assimilating the information technology revolution, the achievements of international research and the second generation of Nano technologies. ¾ Addressing the external debt problems and their negative impact on economic performance and development. 68 The Mission of the Economic Strategy All economic ministries and institutions shall undertake to meet the basic needs of citizens in justifiably and equitably realizing social justice, wellbeing and strengthening the image of the country in other nations by: o Establishing and strengthening a socially and geographically balanced economic development by improving productivity, service infrastructure and prompting competitively advantageous qualitative leaps in terms of quality, productivity and improved services. o Mobilizing and utilizing national resources, equitably distributing them between generations, and ensuring a geographic and environmental balance. o Developing and advancing institutional capabilities thereby fostering transparency, halting corruption and reaffirming the intellectual genesis of the society and its lofty values. o Recruiting and developing trained and gifted workers in the fields of modern technological applications, scientific research and inventions. o Tapping the local and migrant intellectual and experience reservoir to bridge the knowledge gap, reducing costs and minimising waste. o Focusing on and strengthening rural development in terms of investment, production and access to services. o Encouraging partnerships between the domestic private sector and foreign firms to advance development and 69 leadership and encourage its contribution to all economic activities so as to affect a structural shift particularly in industrialization of forestry, animal, horticultural, basic mining resources and tourism. 70 The Message of the Financial Strategy o Utilizing the financial sector to mobilize local savings, attract foreign investment, widen the base of rural and urban savings, and investment entities in addition to strengthening money markets. o Improving and diversifying exports so the export sector can become the main driver of economic growth and development. o Reviving and strengthening the capabilities of the economic and financial institutions in terms of systems, personnel and technology to achieve competency and effectiveness through participation in the national programme while upholding transparency and confronting administrative and financial corruption. 71 Finance and Foreign Trade Cluster 72 The Economic and Financial Strategy (Objectives, Challenges and Means) This sector is considered one of the main components for achieving the comprehensive economic policy through attracting and utilizing resources thereby benefiting all other sectors. The Objectives: o Enhancing and reorganizing the living and economic conditions of all the Sudanese people. o Realizing annual growth rates with an average not less than 7% during the lifetime of the strategy. o Reducing poverty rates by more than 50% during the first fifteen years and by more than 80% by the end of the strategy. o Increasing the national economic productivity to the tune of most developing nations by quadrupling it o Increasing the average rate of national saving to more than 25% of gross national product. o Keeping money circulation within the limits of monetary protection and economic stability. o Keeping the inflation rate in single-digits. 73 o Encouraging the private sector to contribute more than 65% of investment. o Increasing financial and revenue effort to more than 30% of the gross national product. o Increasing the overall investment rate to more than 33% of the gross national product. o Increasing the national export percentage and the volume of trade exchange to reach more than the average in developing countries. o Increasing the individual and collective self-reliance rate. o Completing the components of bank-financing and ridding the national economy of internal and external usurious practices, fraud and monopoly. o Increasing the efficiency of the insurance market, expanding its coverage, providing insurance coverage to all production and other sectors and fostering the experiment of Islamic cooperative insurance. o Building institutions and human capacities in terms of environment, legislations and resources to implement the Twenty-Five-Year Strategy. The Challenges: o Equitable distribution of national wealth taking into consideration developing the South, rural areas and war affected zones. 74 o Addressing bottlenecks in the national economy by rehabilitating basic infrastructures particularly in the fields of energy, electricity and national roads. o Ending poverty, destitution and deprivation hotbeds by the end of the strategy. o Spreading peace, settlement and reconstruction in conflict affected zones. o Attracting internal and external investments to widen the economic base, enhancing the production structure and indigenizing modern technology in production, marketing, administration and special initiatives. o Developing economic, social, population and cultural basic information systems to identify socioeconomic indicators targeted by the strategy programs. o Addressing internal and external debt problems. o Benefiting from regional, international financial institutions funding and modern financing systems specially building, operating and transfer system (BOT). The Means to Implement the Strategy: o Following-up policies that unfold economic stability and sustain its growth. o Encouraging savings, investment, production and overall economic productivity and fostering a market economy. 75 o Intervening to remove any negative effects resulting from a free market system. o Managing strategic public utilities, investing therein, encouraging the private sector by recognizing investment risks, providing financial incentives and removing legal and administrative obstacles. o Encouraging the growth of scientific, technological and information base for institutions capable of utilizing and managing it in addition to according human development due attention. o Normalizing and developing external economic financial and economic relations, realizing the objectives of mutual economic and financial cooperation and encouraging an environment attractive to foreign investment. o Strengthening the training, monitoring and guiding role of the central bank to vitalize the financial and monetary sector locally, regionally and internationally. o Activating the role of financial and accounts oversight organs, controlling and coordinating financial and federal relations. o Enhancing economic performance means and methods by availing the required economic components to meet globalization challenges in agriculture, livestock, and mineral and petroleum resources so as to secure economic development sustainability and its competitiveness in international markets. 76 o Continuing on reforming and developing constitutional, legal, procedural, and accounting institutions in addition to strengthening the pillars of the rule of law, transparency and accountability in respect of overall economic activities and sectoral, national and state projects. 77 The Overall Economic Strategy The Objectives: The Financial Sector: o Developing domestic and state revenue, and diversifying sources to fund general expenditure. o Mobilizing extra financial resources to fund infrastructure projects in a manner that realizes the best ratio in terms of individual share in health and education services, drinking water and other social services. o Adopting collective self-reliance to mobilize required resources for current expenditure and sustainable national development. o Developing Zakat, burden-sharing and social support funds. o Increasing the volume of banking and insurance activities, other financial funds and ensure the sector can cope with international technological developments in the fields of banking and finance. o Mobilizing financial resources and expanding money markets to finance productive sectors, employment sectors and other prioritized sectors. 78 The Monetary Sector: o Realizing fiscal and monetary stability and control by targeting appropriate ratios for money circulation, stabilizing the rate of exchange and increasing the country’s foreign reserves. o Activating the oversight role of the central bank to reform the banking system and other financial institutions in addition to removing the conflict between laws regulating banking and other financial institutions activities in a manner that serves the overall economic policies. o Regulating and developing the money market, directing it to attract national and foreign savings, increasing the rates of overall investment and national development. o Increasing the efficiency of the insurance market in terms of fiscal and finance aspects and widen Islamic cooperative insurance. o Taking precautions to meet the negative impact of economic globalization and development in the international economic system. 79 The Means to Implement the Strategy o Making use of project budgets to implement the Twenty- Five-Year Strategy. o Widening the revenue base by focusing on direct taxation. o Encouraging the establishment of large banks, investment companies, insurance and reinsurance companies, social and burden sharing funds, spreading public and limited liability companies and incepting money markets and stock exchanges. o Continuing privatization, encouraging local and foreign investment and an environment conducive to investment. o Utilizing revenues drawn from exploitation of oil to finance socioeconomic projects. o Utilizing existing financial tools and innovating new and diversified mechanisms to finance current and development expenditures. o Modernizing and developing financial and accountancy systems and regulating internal audit. o Utilizing financial resources to expand strategic reserves and increase and modernize existing storage capacities. o Increasing banks’ capital and liberalize banks’ financing. o Developing new financial bonds and Islamic financing methods to attract real financial resources. 80 o Encouraging the establishment of investment banks, development financing houses, innovating new mechanisms to attract banking and financial institutions savings, liberalizing foreign exchange and forging new mechanisms to invest surpluses. o Disseminating an insurance culture, restructuring the insurance oversight body, taking necessary measures to enhance insurance companies’ financial and technical capabilities to offer services to consumers and to meet the challenges and impacts of globalization . 81 Foreign Trade Strategy The Objectives: o Undertaking structural reforms and building institutional and technical capabilities to enable the national economy to cope with changes in the international economy. o Developing external export markets, upholding and expanding them and opening new ones in coordination with the concerned parties and the private sector. o Benefiting from facilities provided by international and regional organizations to the least developed nations to rationalize imports and rectifying their trade balance. o Encouraging export production to meet foreign market requirements, exerting efforts to increase the competitiveness of Sudanese commodities in foreign markets by removing excise duties, limitations and taxes. The Challenges: o The absence of an integrated export policy, dependence on exporting surplus and production tilted towards local consumption. o The weakness of resources available to finance export and the high cost of exporting which in turn led to inadequacy of quantities exported and meagre export revenues despite available of quantities ready for export. 82 o The inefficiency of human and institutional capabilities involved in export operations. o The excise duties and taxes levied on exports led to increase in export costs, weakening the ability of Sudanese exports to compete in foreign markets, led to a proliferation in smuggling in addition to inadequacy of available mechanisms to combat smuggling. o The feeble resources allocated to promotion and advertisement in addition to dependence on the state and absence of participation by the private sector. o The lack of coordinated trade and monetary policies in between departments associated with exports. o The structural barriers to exporting, the sector’s dependency on limited agricultural output that is often affected by natural factors (drought and desertification) and changing conditions in the terms of trade. o The weakness of structures and auxiliary services such as transport, storage, packing, stevedoring, loading, unloading and dependency on manual work in addition to high costs. o The interference of public and state owned companies and financing houses which led to a constriction in the export base and in turn weakened competitiveness in foreign markets. o The continuous increase in tax, custom duties and service levies led to increases in production costs and consequently weakened competition in foreign markets. 83 o The rapid increase in the import of consumers and intermediate commodities, leading to an increase in import costs and skewed the trade balance. o The absence of human resources experienced in planning and research and the lack of collaboration between concerned parties regarding statistics and information. o The structural weakness of cooperative activities added to a number of problems and constraints in terms of financing, lack of mobility and non-representation in trade protocols. o The deterioration of agricultural production, the rise of production costs, deterioration in trucking capacity, ports infrastructure and growing cost of road transport for exporters. Furthermore, the deterioration of industrial production as a result of failing infrastructure and the high cost of production inputs. The Means to Implement Foreign Trade Strategy Exports: o Developing foreign trade policies and coordinating financial and export related policies to expand the export base. o Developing livestock, vegetables and fruits sectors to be important export sectors, forging policies for export based commodities and activating horticultural export. o Establishing Sudan’s trade point to promote small and medium businessmen, coordinating with the private sector to participate in international trade exhibitions and establishing trade centres and traditional markets. 84 o Adhering to international standards required by markets to promote exports, opening of more external markets, keeping traditional markets and increasing competitiveness. o Benefiting from Sudan’s accession to free trade, common markets, regional and international groups and focusing on Arab, Islamic, African and other neighbouring countries. Imports: o Affecting policies and legislations to protect the national economy from the negative impacts of dumping and unjustifiable support together with combating monopoly and encouraging competition. o Connecting with foreign markets to obtain information and statistics, following up of international economic variations to obtain import requirements at the best prices and conditions congruent to balance of trade movements and averting food security gaps. o Reviewing import and export laws and promulgating a legislation to regulate trade in conformity with international trade dictates in addition to promulgating laws regulating competition. o Merging national cooperative institutions in larger entities to reinforce their financial and administrative capacities thereby coping with international development requirements. o Benefiting from the excellent relation the cooperative movement has with the international organization and international cooperative movement. 85 o Establishing a reserve of imported strategic commodities. o Activating the role of the private sector to assume its role in supporting the general external trade policies in the fields of promotion and expansion of markets. 86 Investment Cluster 87 Investment Strategy Introduction National and foreign investment are considered an important pillar in the liberalizing of the economy to usher it into equitable globalized relations. The Objectives: • Promoting national unity and strengthening it by supporting peace-building efforts. • Ensuring development planning to effect balanced development and taking measures to reduce poverty in cooperation with institutions and organizations. • Endeavouring to increase growth and interlaced political, economic stability in order to accomplish regional economic integration with geographic neighbour states. The Challenges: • Serving the economic objectives of the state by increasing production and productivity in a manner that fosters food security and human development. • Encouraging investment in export and infrastructure fields and attracting foreign investment. 88 • Promoting economic liberalization and privatization policies with the objective of the state exiting from production and service activities. • Adopting an unswerving investment policy, removing mandate and prerogative conflicts and unifying investment laws and legislations. The Policies and Means • Drafting and coordinating international cooperation plans and policies for humanitarian development and assistance purposes, reconstruction and undertaking to take all measures to attract foreign resources provided by countries, regional and international organizations and institutions. • Following up the implementation of international cooperation agreements with concerned government departments responsible for the execution of the agreements, and utilizing the foreign resources drawn from the agreement. In addition, preparing and participating in joint ministerial commissions with neighbour countries, monitoring and following up implementation. • Fostering Sudan’s economic relations with Arab, African and Islamic neighbours, regional and international organizations and institutions and making maximum benefit of Sudan’s membership in these organizations. • Making the most of information technology, modern information and communication systems to make the world aware of the Sudan’s vast resources and capabilities. 89 • Taking advantage of foreign resources to implement poverty reduction programs and ensuring the supply of necessities to the citizens such as food security, medical care, water, education and electricity service in addition to averting environmental hazards and to continue peace building. • Coordinating between the ministries of Foreign Trade and Finance and National Economy to strengthen the role of the private sector in foreign cooperation so as to benefit from available investment and financing opportunities. • Establishing specialized offices to connect all international cooperation links in order to utilize international cooperation resources and the funds provided by different United Nations agencies for human resources and institutional capacity building. • Developing early warning mechanisms so as to take precautionary and preparatory measures to avert crisis and disasters. • Establishing a single office with which investors deal with in relation to investment procedures. 90 The Overall Economic Strategy Indicators (2007-2031)

1. Realizing an increase in the gross national product of an average of not less than 7%.

2. Increasing the national economic productivity to the tune of most developing nations by quadrupling it.

3. Increasing the average saving rate to more than 25% of gross national product.

4. Increasing the overall investment rate to more than 33% of the national gross product during the first half of the Strategy life.

5. Increasing the contribution of the private sector in the investment activities by more than 65%.

6. Rising revenue to more than 30% of the gross national product.

7. Increasing export percentage of the national product and increasing trade exchange volume to reach more than the average of the developing countries.

8. Increasing the contributing rates of different sectors, industry and services in the national product.

9. Increasing self reliance, completing the means of non usurious bank financing and liberalizing the national economy from usury practices.

10. Reducing poverty rate by more than 50% during the first fifteen-years. 91

11. Keeping the inflation rate in single-digits.

12. Building institutions and human capacities in terms of environment, systems, legislations and resources in order to implement the Twenty-Five-Year Strategy. 92 Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Cluster 93 Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Strategy Introduction: The two-pronged agricultural sector, crop and animal and related irrigational means is considered the national economic locomotive. It therefore occupies the forefront in terms of contribution to national output. The Objectives: • Developing natural resources and optimizing their use. • Realizing balanced agricultural and rural growth, sustainable development, food security, increased job opportunities in the framework of the federal system and maximising benefits from the advantages available in the states. The Challenges: • Increasing productivity and competitive capacity. • Reducing poverty through integrated agricultural and rural development. • Forestalling the impact of drought. • Providing infrastructures. • Strengthening transformative industries. • Standing steadfastly to globalization challenges emanating from WTO and regional organization agreements. This 94 would include abiding by crop and livestock health procedures, specifications, affirming quality and adopting safety procedures in respect of negative effects of organic technological products. • Building the agricultural sector capacities by training personnel at all levels, enhancing work-environment, structural and institutional reform and benefiting from communication and information technology to modernize the information base. • Developing private investment. • Realizing sustainable agricultural development. Policies and Means • Optimizing land use according to its productivity. • Implementing the national plan for land uses and completing the allocation of 25% of the total land for grazing and forests in order to benefit livestock and wild life thereby contributing to balanced environment and life. • Developing available water by increasing reservoirs and rivers and ravines storage capacity, exploiting artesian water, expanding water catchments methods and providing drinking water for societys and livestock • Rehabilitating irrigation services in order to upgrade the efficiency of water uses, introducing appropriate technologies to optimize water uses and disseminate water awareness. 95 • Protecting water resources by controlling dams and irrigation canals silting, combating papyrus in water basins and canals, combating contamination and regulating water uses to prevent quantitative and qualitative deterioration. • Doubling the cultivated area by artificial, flowing and flooding irrigation to the tune of 10 million feddans. Doubling the cultivated area for rain fed agriculture to close to 50 million feddans. Affecting a vertical increasing to realize high productivity rates thereby increasing competitiveness. • Contributing in achieving balanced growth by expanding the cycle of horticultural production in a manner serving crop diversification, increasing job opportunities, rural income and reduction of poverty. • Increasing the forestry area by natural and artificial breeding in reserved forests, institutions and national forests. • Establishing an animal production industry which is both developed and capable to meet internal and external market needs. Transforming the Sudan to become an international centre for producing and marketing hygienic meat produced from livestock fed by natural fodder, free from contamination and hormone treatment. • Increasing public expenditure on the agricultural sector being a locomotive for other sectors. Launching an agricultural revival both in crop and livestock sectors in order to increment their contribution to the gross national product by more than the contribution of the oil sector. 96 • Using organic technology methods to breed high productivity crops and livestock. • Allocating a percentage of financial resources to support the agricultural and government banks enabling them to provide integrated finance. • Enticing the public to deposit their money with the banks where sufficient resources could be generated to meet the economic sectors needs. 97 Industrial Cluster 98 Industry Sector Strategy Introduction The industrial sector is considered one of the leading and propelling sectors of the socioeconomic development in the country. Its development necessitates adopting a flexible industrial strategy that takes into consideration linking and coordinating with other sectors to realize the overall objectives thereby realizing welfare and advanced society. The Objectives ¾ Increasing the industrial sector’s contribution to gross national product and national income. ¾ Optimizing the use of resources and different wealth to realize balanced sustainable industrial development with priorities that observe conservation of the environment, usher in increases in productivity, added value and competitive quality. Furthermore, by focusing on rural development and reconstruction of the South. ¾ Correcting the present structural deformities of the industrial sector institutionally and administratively. Laying the scientific basis and benchmarks to increase the activities of the industrial base. This endeavour would be undertaken in prioritized phases based on science and knowledge. ¾ Encouraging the local and foreign private sector, civil society, regional, international organizations and entities to contribute to industrial investment. 99 ¾ Preparing the industrial sector to benefit from applied research. ¾ Realizing coordination between the industrial sector and other sectors. The Challenges ¾ Weakness of institutional and financial mechanisms in addition to the absorption capacity to entice private and foreign capital. ¾ Commitment to balanced and sustainable development in the field of industry. ¾ Weakness of basic infrastructure capable of increasing the contribution of the industrial sector in the national income. ¾ Non compatibility to technologies, laws and procedures that qualify establishing self reliance and export production in addition to identifying new foreign markets for national industrial products. ¾ Declining productive efficiency and competitiveness of transformative industries, industries with forward and backward linkages, small scale and traditional industries. ¾ Underdevelopment of the petrochemicals industries and the necessary promotion of investment in this sector. 100 The Means to implement the Strategy The most important means that would lead to the elimination of the constraints (challenges) and realizing the objectives of this sector could be the following: ¾ Implementing the established investment, financing and marketing policies and legislations in addition to tax and credit policies. ¾ Creating an environment to produce innovative products, strengthening intellectual property laws, patents and developing scientific research capabilities. ¾ Endeavouring to apply total quality requirements in all factories in conformity with international standards, applying environmently friendly requirements to all industrial areas and protecting the environment from industrial contamination. ¾ Increasing the storage capacity in production and consumption areas and developing loading, unloading and goods handling methods. ¾ Increasing the administrative capabilities through training and rehabilitating industrial sector personnel in addition to creating an integrated database to provide in an efficient manner data on local and international markets. ¾ Abiding fully by the international quality specifications and international criteria regarding environmental protection and industrial sector safety procedures. 101 ¾ Rehabilitating the infrastructure driving the industrial sector through state, local and international private sector contribution. ¾ Expanding the investment umbrella with regard to different industries focusing on small scale industries, distributing and diversifying the industrial map. ¾ Adopting production for export strategies and laying policies that provide industrial sector financing. ¾ Espousing free market policies in respect of the industrial sector and the building of industrial complexes. ¾ Completing the earthquake monitoring network, benefiting from the information thereof and creating maps so as to assist in town-planning and establishing large engineering structures. 102 Energy and Mining Cluster 103 Energy and Mining Sector Strategy Introduction The energy and mining sector plays a pivotal role in developing and improving the economic life of the country. It is planned to further develop the role of the sector through drawing up programs and plans based on reality and anticipating the future. In order to augment this role, it is necessary to lay down a comprehensive strategy for the energy and mining sector. A strategy that takes into account linking and coordinating between all those working in the oil industry. Furthermore achieving the required objectives, the comprehensive and connective nature of the sector’s activities should be observed. The Objectives: 9 Increasing the rate of crude oil production and identifying new reserves. 9 Reaching self sufficiency in petroleum products and increasing export thereof. 9 Building depots for the storage of crude oil and petroleum products. 9 Expanding crude oil and petroleum products transport capacities to absorb the expected increase in production. 9 Extending petroleum distribution networks to meet the requirement of production and consumption sectors all over the country. 104 9 Increasing electricity generation capacity to meet the requirements of productive and consuming sectors all over the country. 9 Enhancing electrical power generation and distribution methods in order to lessen electricity shortages. 9 Implementing the Nile eastern Basin (Egypt, the Sudan and Ethiopia) electrical connection project. 9 Increasing the share of renewable energy in Sudan’s energy mix. 9 Implementing rural area development by utilizing renewable energy resources. 9 Decreasing energy shortfalls in manufacturing and industrial sectors. 9 Increasing mineral production and exploring other minerals for local usage in local industries and export production. 9 Optimizing the use of resources. 9 Modernizing the Sudan’s geological map and expanding the earthquake monitoring network. 9 Disseminating a culture of optimum consumption that takes into account the welfare of future generations. 9 Decreasing environmental contamination resulting from energy and mining production. 9 Coping with the newly introduced methods in international quality and specifications criteria and standards. 105 9 Recruiting trained personnel. 9 Building a comprehensive database. The Challenges: 9 Conflicts emanating from land ownership on which projects are launched and excessive compensation claims. 9 Security problems in some oil production areas. 9 Financing constraints impeding the implementation of development projects particularly in the energy and mining sector. 9 Inefficiency of local contractors, their financial, technical and administrative inadequacy to implement projects despite the experience gained due to their contribution in oil projects. 9 The high cost of equipment, machinery and spare parts due to the economic sanctions. 9 Weakness and inadequacy of the national database to meet the sector’s requirements. 9 Shortage of trained and experienced personnel to work in the sector due in part to skilled personnel choosing to work abroad. 9 Imported equipment and machinery are not properly examined to determine that specifications tally with the requirements of the concerned authorities. 106 9 Weakness of coordination between the different economic sectors. 9 Constraints and problems connected with custom procedures and ports levies. 9 Weakness in the application of rules, laws and legislation nation wide. The Policies 9 Expanding exploration and exploitation of mineral resources and spreading them to all oil quadrates which cover all parts of the country. 9 Increasing the capacity of the existing refineries and building new ones. 9 Increasing the strategic crude and petroleum products reserve. 9 Increasing and upgrading the efficiency of crude and petroleum products transportation capacities. 9 Spreading petroleum products distribution networks all over the country. 9 Expanding the national electricity network, rehabilitating hydroelectric generating stations and strengthening their operational capacity. 107 9 Generating electrical energy through renewable energy resources such as solar energy, wind, hydropower and artesian heat. 9 Activating the role of economic cooperation between Eastern Nile Basin countries and establishing electricity connectivity projects. 9 Utilizing all means and methods to lessen losses in all energy production phases. 9 Expending geological, geochemical and geophysical surveys in all parts of the Sudan for the purpose of assisting mineral and oil discoveries. 9 Covering the local industry needs for industrial minerals and also treating such minerals to realize added value and export surplus thereof. 9 Increasing awareness of energy efficiency to rectify energy consumption behaviour and norms. 9 Procuring and indigenizing most modern scientific technologies in the field of energy and mining. 9 Abiding by international criteria for standards and quality, environment conservation norms, workplace safety and vocational health. 9 Upgrading the efficiency of national cadres and training them to reach international standards. 108 9 Charting different scale geophysical, geo engineering and geo chemical maps covering all the country. 9 Completing the geological data base, creating a government network, connecting it to regional and international networks, using remote sensing technologies and enhancing mineral wealth exploration capacities. 9 Identifying and adopting a clear investment policy in the field of mining, promulgating a comprehensive law on mineral wealth and natural resources that would indicate the rights of the state, user rights and accord attractive incentives in the field of building materials. 9 Providing all the country with continuous supply of electricity by expanding generation and distribution capacities. Furthermore, adding new supplies, dealing with the present grid losses and enhancing administrative and commercial aspects. 9 Opening the markets for electricity utilities, generation, distribution and sales to private investment. 9 Developing promotional methods to entice investment by making readily available information and encouraging oil company exploration. 9 Expanding the oil pipeline network, increasing and developing trucking capacity and river and sea transport. 109 9 Expanding investment in the field of oil by introducing incentive policies, procedures and laws guaranteeing the non- expropriation of local and international capital. In addition providing security in exploration and production. 110 Private and Entrepreneurial Cluster 111 Private and Entrepreneurial Sector Strategy Firstly: The Private Sector: Introduction: The means to realize the goal of the private sector in the Twenty- Five-Year National Strategy requires the integration and invigoration of all sectors of the society and the state through calibrating all efforts to realize this goal. This will be achieved by society assuming the role of a messenger, initiator and above all capable of identifying its aspirations and mobilizing its mechanisms with utmost efficiency to realize these aspirations. Our society depends on God Almighty, on its vast reservoir of awareness, knowledge, and human experience in addition to its human resources accentuated by pluralism, diversified social composition and cultural heritage to manage its endeavours to attain the change required. The Goal:

1. Fostering the values of justice, equality, burden sharing and integration in a manner that realizes national goals, leads to social peace and development and the role of social dynamics in nation-building.

2. Promoting the private sector to enable it to become a leader in the society thereby reducing the role of the state. 112

3. Fostering belief in terms of daily endeavours and demeanour so as to protect the Sudanese society from cultural alienation and the negative impacts of globalization.

4. Combating poverty throuugh sustainable economic development and social burden sharing programs.

5. Activating and supporting national voluntary activities to effectively contribute to nation-building.

6. Contributing effectively to balanced and sustainable socioeconomic development, service, environment and capacity-building programs by focusing on rural areas. The Message of the Sector:

1. Strengthening unity and peace building.

2. Developing and enhancing the institutional capabilities of organizations and members of the community so as to affect a qualitative and quantitative shift in terms of productivity and quality to further build up the national wealth.

3. Overcoming poverty and moving towards self sufficiency and national well being. 113 The Objectives:

1. Active participation in realizing and indigenizing peace, security and national accord.

2. Enabling the private sector to effectively contribute to boosting and developing socioeconomic activity.

4. Establishing relationships between official institutions and civil society organizations based on consensus, transparency and mutual commitment to human rights. The Constraints:

1. Realizing peace and strengthening the unity of the Sudanese nation.

2. Protecting the Sudanese social fabric and upholding its religious and spiritual values.

3. Addressing poverty and its ramifications.

4. Increasing the capabilities of Sudanese society to affect the positive impact on development and the environment.

5. Activating the role of the private sector to herald the social movement while limiting the role of the state to sovereign, security and infrastructure activities. 114 The Basic Means:

1. Realizing peace and stability that would further strengthen the unity of the Sudanese nation.

2. Empowering the private sector to assume an advanced role and position in the leadership of balanced and sustainable development.

3. Activating and regularizing the activities of national, regional and international voluntary organisations in order to realize the national objectives.

4. Taking the necessary measures to limit the negative social impacts of globalization.

5. Upholding religious values in respect of equality, justice, burden sharing and dialogue.

6. Developing and building information industries and utilizing specialized research centres in respect of all private sector and civil society activities. The Expected Results:

1. The private sector to contribute not less than 70% of total annual investment activities.

2. Spreading specialized research centres to address private sector issues. 115

3. The private sector to contribute to arranging, funding, training and attracting resources and programs from regional and international organizations.

4. Contribution of the private sector (basic industries) in funding and developing scientific research. Secondly: The Entrepreneurial Sector: Entrepreneurs represent an important component of the private sector. Therefore the Strategy has accorded them objectives and means. The Comprehensive Objectives:

1. Contributing to establishing flexible policies that enable the private sector to contribute not less than 70% of the total investment activities in addition to active participation in resolving partial and comprehensive economic issues.

2. Contributing to the realization of sustainable development.

3. Promoting capacities, localization of information economics, knowledge and emphasizing scientific research, innovation and discovery.

4. Increasing the quantity and quality of production and taking into consideration quality, cost-effectiveness and the positive influence on consumption.

5. Transforming the country's comparative advantages to competitive ones so as to assume an advanced position in the international economy. 116

6. Contributing to the rehabilitation of the economic environment in terms of legislations, laws and rules thereby establishing free market competition.

7. Reaping national benefits resulting from the country's membership in specialized regional and international organizations in addition to averting the negative effects of globalization. The Challenges:

1. Activating commercial activity in the field of providing and distributing production inputs among different production and services sectors.

2. Motivating trade by focusing on Sudanese products.

3. Encouraging trade under the banner of economic liberalization with Arab, regional and international organizations in order to increase marketing of Sudanese products in Arab, regional and international markets.

4. Providing production inputs for transformative industries.

5. Producing agricultural and animal raw materials focusing on natural materials.

6. Production for local consumption and export.

7. Developing entrepreneurial initiatives, encouraging the launching of private projects and focusing on the training of youth to provide commodities, services and create job opportunities. 117

8. Localizing small scale industries in the fields of electronics, chemicals and precision industries.

9. Strengthening the technical branches engaged in the transfer of high technology at universities, higher institutions, specialized research centres, establishing new transformative programs, capacity upgrading programs and providing research and investment services to small producer groups.

10. Expanding the number of small scale rural and artisan projects particularly those with environmental, cultural and traditional characteristics to ensure a balanced mix.

11. Expanding agricultural production markets to provide inputs for small scale, rural and artisan industries to meet local consumption, exports and to provide job opportunities.

12. Providing efficient road transport to meet the requirements of the states for imports and exports at reasonable cost in a manner that produces socioeconomic benefits, connectivity, stability and unity.

13. Developing and modernizing the agricultural map so as to ensure geographic and environmental balance between the agricultural and nomadic sectors.

14. Building information systems in the fields of agriculture and livestock and disseminating the concept of partnership between the researcher and the beneficiary to resolve production and productivity issues.

15. Balanced agricultural and livestock development and rearranging investment activities through legislations, laws, flexible and stable policies and adequate funding. 118 The Basic Means:

1. Implementation of economic liberalization and competition policies.

2. Implementation of policies, legislations and rules regulating economic activities.

3. The gradual ability of entrepreneurial sector to cope with the international economic movements in addition to developing and strengthening its relations with regional and international organizations while upholding national identity.

4. Linking and integrating different sectors and allowing the private sector to take part in drawing up plans and policies and following-up on implementation progress.

5. Completing, building and rehabilitating infrastructures of the entrepreneurial sector for export oriented production and benefiting from the country’s membership in regional and international economic organizations to enter new markets.

6. Encouraging private sector entities to merge and expend their productive base through local, regional or international strategic partnerships.

7. Developing natural resources management and optimize their use in particular to exploit untapped resources to jump-start inactive energies thereby increasing the added value in all production sectors.

8. Utilizing scientific capabilities and experiences to modernize production methods, decreasing cost and ensuring quality control. 119 Tourism Cluster 120 Tourism Strategy Introduction: The contributions of the Sudan with its historic heritage in human civilization and its geographic position and vast natural and cultural resources in addition to its proximity to tourism havens make it on the cross roads to tourism movement in Africa and Asia. This calls for developing the tourism base anchored on a model that represents our values. As contemporary studies indicate that the industry is heading towards environmental tourism, tourists are attracted to the virgin lands with which the country is blessed with. Therefore the Sudan would start where the others have finished and at same time benefit from the shortcomings of tourism elsewhere and guided by the prevailing peace, good investment and tourism industry technology. The Goal: The tourism activity would endeavour to disseminate local tourism culture priding itself with its national heritage, fostering one- country brotherly relations, presenting an outstanding example not only of tourism facilities and services but also investing the country’s capabilities to adopt best standards to realize balanced socioeconomic development. The Objectives:

1. Uplifting tourism domestically and internationally. 121

2. Attracting local and foreign investment and modernize legislations governing tourism.

3. Undertaking surveys and collect information on tourism.

4. Establishing enclosures and proclaiming new nature reserves.

5. Restoring, rescuing and excavating Sudanese antiquities.

6. Maintaining museums.

7. Conserving and investing in the preservation of wild life. The Policies:

1. Spreading tourism culture among all the Sudanese.

2. Establishing a tourism database amenable to expansion.

3. Liberalization the tourism sector to encourage investment, keeoing in mind the risks of environmental contamination. The Priorities:

1. Strengthening the values of peace and unity by expanding tourism culture.

2. Cataloguing tourism information.

3. Expanding the infrastructure of tourism and antiquities.

4. Setting a realistic budget capable of realizing projects. 122

5. Providing funding for tourism projects by attracting Arab and foreign capital in addition to benefiting from international organizations and grants earmarked to develop tourism in developing countries.

6. Disseminating an awareness of Sudanese antiquities, protecting and combating the smuggling thereof.

7. Monitoring foreign registration of antiquities sites.

8. Exacting a realistic and operational budget that includes all economic and development projects. 123 Capacity Building and Community Improvement Strategy 124 Capacity Building and Community Improvement Strategy Introduction: The strategy emanates from what has been realized economically, socially and constitutionally in addition to diligent awareness of the linkage between population, sustainable development and modern information technologies. The strategy having originated from our social heritage, social development, peace and closer relations with world; has focused on capacity building, social affairs and population related problems. In addition, public and higher education, information, communication and other community services would all have a bearing on community improvement. Despite the achievements hitherto achieved, capacity building and social affairs have faced a number of difficulties and implementation of set programs was impeded by shortcomings. The Twenty-Five-Year Strategy therefore aims at rectifying the situation. The Goal Enabling high social values to play a marked role in cultural and scientific endeavours. In addition utilizing technology as a tool in community improvement. 125 General Objectives:

1. Building a nation that endeavours to realize honest credence, unity, freedom, peace and tranquillity thereby reaching excellence and democracy.

2. Empowering religious values to uphold teachings, cherish its tenets and purify the society to become the best society in terms of religious and moral values.

3. Purifying society, strengthening its social fabric, improving its people’ characteristics and ensuring their active participation in all walks of life.

4. Building scientifically and practically qualified human capacities, committed to science, technology and nation- building using mechanisms and technologies compatible with the local conditions.

5. Establishing the pillars of an efficient and outreaching information and communication system.

6. Rewriting public and higher education and scientific research syllabuses to train highly skilled and responsible experts capable of meeting the country’s development requirements.

7. Ensuring and reaffirming the origins of social values in addition to utilizing diversity and social pluralism to dissolve in the melting pot of unity.

8. Disseminating the culture of local tourism and developing it to produce excellent examples of production, tourism services and investment. 126

9. Equal opportunities in youth and sport activities and developing them to leadership. The Policies:

1. Pledging to allow equal opportunity to all to excellent education, national curricula together with providing healthy, environment utilizing technology, allowing partnership in funding in addition to developing educational evaluation criteria.

2. Upholding religious tenets and spiritual instruction, motivating women and youth sectors and activating the civil society sector.

3. Adopting social dialogue as a tool to realize unity and fostering the developmental role to reach a balanced population distribution where safe motherhood and reduction of child mortality are ensured. Furthermore realizing a cohesive and burden-sharing community where the different manifestations of poverty can be markedly reduced.

4. Abiding by national policies and phased plans.

5. Conserving the values and moral heritage of the society which requires conservation of nature and its yields.

6. Accepting collective responsibility as a directive in information policy, be above tribalism, strengthening national belonging and mobilizing public opinion towards development and information technology together with guaranteeing free competition in the field of information. 127

7. Implementing the technical education development project, paying due attention to languages, developing research and technology applications and addition to strengthening the role of higher education institutions in community development and institutional coordination in between public and higher education.

8. Reviewing expansion and enrolment in higher education together with comprehensive evaluation thereof.

9. Deepening the indigenous culture supporting the social texture, indigenizing thoughts, arts and other cultural endeavours and realizing the ethical model in cultural ascendancy to establish a comprehensive and contemporary cultural rebirth.

10. Deepening the culture of internal tourism, establishing a tourism database capable of expansion, good tourism production in addition to investment in tourism.

11. Guiding youth activities and their talents, according due consideration to juveniles, benefiting from tribal diversity, the characteristics of the Sudanese and utilize it in the field of youth and sport together with supporting youth organizations and societies in addition to benefiting from agreement and cooperation. The Priorities:

1. Realizing balanced educational opportunities, vocational education and prioritize development of language syllabuses content. 128

2. Deepening religious coexistence and endeavour to disseminate its culture.

3. Conserving the identity, values and protecting the individual, the family and the community from factors that may undermine this identity.

4. Absorbing and localizing technology together by according due consideration to technology and the information sector.

5. Rehabilitating media and communication to cover all parts of the Sudan and outside world to disseminate Sudanese thought and culture and to strengthen the culture of peace.

6. Focusing on technical education, languages, political science and above all academics and directing higher education institutes to serve the community.

7. Deepening the values of national unity, social and cultural peace in addition to promoting the skills of human capital.

8. Disseminating tourism and antiquity awareness internally and externally.

9. According and grooming the youth to upholding national values.

10. Spreading sport, providing infrastructure and necessary means to realise a sporting rebirth enabling the Sudan to resume its leading position in the region and the world. 129 Conclusion: The capacity building and social affairs strategy has been crystallized in conformity with the guidelines which were tabulated in strategy sectors enjoined with the aspirations of the Sudanese people:

1. Public Education Sector.

2. Higher Education and Scientific Research Sector.

3. Information and Communications Technology Sector.

4. Science and Technology Sector.

5. Guidance and Waqf Sector.

6. Information Sector.

7. Culture Sector.

8. Youth and Sport Sector.

9. Civil Society Organizations Sector.

10. Native System Sector. In view of the above, implementation would be undertaken by government department in the centre, the states and through civil society organizations with due diligent executive planning and conceptual approach to realize the required results. 130 Higher Education and Scientific Research Cluster 131 Higher Education and Scientific Research Strategy Introduction The strategy adopts the definition approved by the General UNESCO Conference at its 27th session (November 1993), which recognized the definition of higher education. On the basis of the definition; higher education includes a wide variety of studies, instruction and training on how to conduct research taught by universities and educational institutions beyond the secondary education level. Such educational institutions are recognized by the concerned government bodies as higher education institutions. The strategy aims at assisting individuals to play different roles, improves their team work spirit, independent use of information, develops their abilities to innovate and rekindles a spirit of innovative thinking. In order to achieve this, such individuals should be prepared to tackle complex issues in their careers. The era where this Strategy would be implemented is an era governed by knowledge and its agenda would be scientifically identified. Therefore, it is imperative to build distinct, highly equipped scientific and technological research centres at higher education institutions. Also to provide serious higher education to every individual according to merit, ability, perseverance and assisting students to score high academic record. This would be pursued in conformity with life-long education. The strategy also aims at developing scientific research at higher education institutes being the basic method to assist in identifying and comprehending the problems facing the society. In addition investing to building capabilities and enhance the scientific infrastructure and develop the human resources. 132 As such the strategy is required to face the challenges of globalization by preparing individuals to work in an environment in which responsibilities are in constant change and taking the initiative has become more important than waiting for instructions and directives. Strategies became more complicated as a result of the expansion of trans-border markets. Higher education is considered the apex of the educational pyramid, on its shoulders rests the social advancements and its institution became one of the most important tools to realize social change. It also regularizes human relations and activities internationally, regionally, and nationally at their different levels in addition to other endeavours that touch human livelihood. The importance of higher education has become extremely vital particularly today where globalization and freedom of international trade became development beacons. Higher Education and Scientific Research Strategy The Objectives:

1. To prepare graduates with the appropriate skills and capabilities and to make them responsible citizens able to meet the needs of the country’s development challenges. Also to upgrade the educational syllabuses in accordance with the above directions. Meet government’s present and future needs, merge knowledge and high calibre skills, according special consideration to enterprising skills and build the innovative spirit in the students to facilitate recruitment, in other words creating themselves job opportunities rather than searching for employment. 133

2. To promote science and affirm the high position reserved for Arabic and English and give consideration to other languages.

3. To give priority to technical education and expand it to reach 60% of the higher education enrolment.

4. To increase intake to universities to reach the international level of the age group expected to be enrolled at higher education institutions.

5. To participate in the building of the culture of peace to attain justice based on meeting essential human needs.

6. To encourage national education, continue to adopt rules and conditions which guarantee high standards and to play an active role in expanding education in line with international and national standards. To take into consideration the multi- lateral agreements of the WTO that allows free movement of capital thereby leading foreign individuals and institutions to invest in the educational field.

7. To invest in research with a level that will realize the economic and social goals and to take into consideration research in basic sciences this considered the base for future innovations together with keeping a balance between basic and applied research.

8. To develop universities to become the centre for research excellence, establishing special units and centres for future studies in an endeavour to advance knowledge, its implantations through socioeconomic programmes and projects. 134

9. To carefully select researchers and prepare them through in higher studies. The practice should be developed at all universities.

10. To help serving the community and upholding its values.

11. To assist in developing and improving all educational levels especially by training teachers, improving syllabuses and strengthening educational research.

12. To activate the role of the university, conduct studies and research that would adopt the expected changes in the field of higher education.

13. To enhance complementarities between teaching and research in a way that would achieve transfer of knowledge to the students and the society through continued education.

14. Strengthening international co-operation in the field of higher education and scientific research through adopting national policies or through special international measures that would guarantee the permanent or temporary return of migrant highly trained and capable educational and research cadres to the country. In addition reaching international cooperation programmes to strengthen local institutions and facilitate optimum use of local capabilities.

15. Diversifying financial resources to fund higher education and scientific research, continuation of government funding which remains a basic factor in ensuring the balance between scientific and social requirements. 135

16. To cater for students social wellbeing including food and accommodation.

17. To care for the cultural, ideological and sport activities of the students and develop their mental abilities, prepare them to shoulder their future responsibilities with understanding, awareness, the ability to understand and digest the requirements of the coming phase.

18. To meet the needs of the increasing number of students who have attained the requirements but could not be placed presenting existing universities. This could be achieved by liberalizing the universities from all time and place constraints and to lower the high education cost and to lessen negative elements of higher education revolution which is reflected in scarcity of teachers and university libraries. Priorities A. Technical ُEducation Technical education is considered the basic element and the backbone that makes development possible in all countries of the world. The type of education is characterized by its ability to satisfy the needs of the employment market. On the one hand, it embraces the economic and social conditions and on the other it follows closely new technological developments. During the implementation of the strategy, technical education shall be given added care by implementing the national programme for upgrading and developing technical education which was prepared by the ministry. 136 B. Languages It is understood that languages are mediums of civilization, beacons of culture that are not only expressing thoughts but transcend to characterize human endeavours. As such the strategy will give due care to the teaching of languages. Being part of the world, we often have to embark on negotiations, trade agreements and other complicated relations where proficiency in languages and translation remain crucial. We need to stress the importance of languages and translation with especial focusing on Arabic and English language. Also to accord importance to other languages, especially African languages so as to strengthen our relation with other African civilizations, cultures and translation receives special emphasis. In view of the above, top priority will be given to upgrade proficiency in teaching of Arabic and English languages by utilizing the information and communication technology in the field of higher education and scientific research and to prepare a new generation who could deal easily with the technological and communication revolutions. C. Basic Sciences It is imperative to give the basic sciences the importance it deserves through doing the following:

1. To give top priority to the basic sciences in the financial support provided by the state for research in the area of development and solving the different problems that face the country. 137

2. To build a strong base for basic sciences in development studies and research in applied sciences and accelerating the development vehicle.

3. To make available enough financial resources for basic science so as to make it possible for the development of applied research and guaranteeing excellence in all educational stages.

4. To build capabilities in the field of basic science.

5. To build an information base in the area of basic sciences.

6. The importance of international cooperation in the basic sciences field. D. Strengthening and Improving what has been Implemented from the Previous Strategy Strengthening and improving previous strategy programs since the implemented programmes require complete rehabilitation of the higher education institutions as a prerequisite for the education strategy for the coming 25 years. This should include scientific and educational activities in addition to making available resources to finance completing building of lecture halls, providing laboratory equipments, libraries, offices, gardens, play grounds etc. and financed by resources drawn from the government or development partners. 138 E. Improving Implementation and Guaranteeing Excellence: The concept of guaranteeing excellence has become a basic requirement for improving the outcome of higher education and consequently the numbers of distinguished graduates leading to international recognition of Sudanese university degrees. In light of the above, the following should be undertaken:

1. To adopt international quality references measurements or preparing national references prepared by select thinkers, university professors, businessmen, members of professional associations, members of scientific societies and others provided that these references should include measurable criteria and standards for each of the components of excellence system for higher education guided by international experience.

2. To devise a tool for internal evaluation to guarantee excellence in each of the higher education institutions and to be responsible for following and observing excellence inside the institutions.

3. To build a national independent body responsible for external excellence measurement at higher education institutions. Also, mandate the body to confirm and approve the use of international experiences in this area. The state which, would be represented by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research should support this institution. 139

4. To upgrade and develop the higher level studies by preparing a base with rules for the selection of students for higher studies and supervising them.

5. To re-evaluate the admission policies and to relate it to economic and social development needs of the country. Thus, conforming to the needs of the labour market.

6. To care for the university faculty-members who are the focal point of the educational process in higher educational institutions. As such, they should be trained to become experts in knowledge-building especially where computer literacy and educational programmes are concerned. On the basis of this, the strategy should adopt a clear policy to develop the faculty-members capabilities to be able to educate students on how to learn and take instructions instead of retaining unutilized knowledge. To achieve this, financial and special support ought to be provided in order to help them settle and produce. The new technological tools and equipment must be made available for them which will in return help their research work. It is also important that they should be members in regional and international information networks and exchange knowledge with others. Higher Education in the Service of the Community

1. To strengthen relations between higher education institutions, the surrounding communities and their leadership. 140

2. To make science accessible and extend scientific knowledge to the community. By spreading this knowledge through all available means, cultural advancement of the general public and making knowledge the basic part of culture will be realized.

3. To strengthen different community service elements of higher education and scientific research. Specially activities aiming at reducing poverty, illiteracy and sickness.

4. With the present economic policies which are characterized by constant change and the discovery of new methods of production. The strategy aims at renewing the attachment between higher education and the labour market and other sectors of society. Policies A. In view of the strategy aims and priorities, the following policies shall be implemented

1. Designing a technical education policy.

2. The administrative infrastructure of technical education.

3. To create model technical colleges.

4. Establishing community colleges as tributaries to further technological education.

5. To reform and strengthen present technological education in universities. 141

6. To raise awareness in students and society of the importance of technical education. B. To design new strategy programmes to emphasise the role of Arabic and English languages. Also, other languages and translation scientifically and technically so as to play its role in the area of development. C. To utilize information and communication technology in higher education to attain the following.

1. To rehabilitate the technological environment in Sudan’s universities.

2. To determine certain hours for the use of information technology out of the defined period assigned for the syllabus.

3. To develop computer programmes both in the area of content and educational resources.

4. To develop and train human resources.

5. To evaluate administrative structures in light of the increased use of information and educational technology.

6. To determine the affect of these changes on teachers, students and the education process. D. To focus on improving implementation which demand building capabilities including the teaching of staff especially instructors of technological education. Furthermore, following a policy of continuous training for the staff. With 142 these element combined, the basic infrastructure of the educational process and scientific research would be renewed, develop syllabuses and teaching methods. E. To approve separate budgets for scientific research to realize scientific and technological development. F. To introduce new syllabuses and specializations using new technological knowledge. G. To strengthen ties between internal higher education institutions and its international counterparts and organizing joint study programmes to increase cooperation between the new generations both regionally and internationally. H. To enhance the role of higher education institutions in drawing government policies, placing research and development within an identifiable institutional relationship. I. To create an academic research net to join the different higher education institution with its international counterparts through which teachers, researchers, students, information programmes, books and other materials would be exchanged. J. To introduce new defined tools to follow up, evaluate and develop the educational and research process on continuous basis in the light of national and international changes. K. To make available different and continuous financial resources from government and other sources so that the higher education budget as a percentage of national income could be fixed. In return, the percentage would reach 5% of the general budget by the end of this strategy. 143 L. To deal with the status of newly established colleges with the view of implementing the example of the model college as drawn by the specialized committees formed by the Higher Education and Scientific Research National Council. M. To complete the needed additional building in existing universities in the states, focus should be on building, rehabilitation of libraries and supply them with new technological tools and necessary equipment. N. To build higher education electronic network and information database so as to link different institutions together. O. To institutionalize harmony between general and higher education P. To revise the policy of expansion in and intake to higher education in order to enhance performance and identify outputs and realizing the balance in the labour market. Q. Comprehensive evaluation of higher education institutions and to promote the institution self evaluation for higher education activities. 144 Informatics Cluster 145 The Vision: The aim that the plan aspires to attain could be summarised in the following: ¾ To build a society on a solid base of the information industry that will make possible for all sectors of society to use available information technology. This will surely lead to the distribution, propagation and utilization of information on a wide scale. All this will lead to the realization of the planned economic development, increasing wealth, job opportunities raising the level and quality of production in different sectors that will lead to the eradication of poverty. ¾ Hence, creating an information society would enable us to complement and compete with worldwide information economies. Such an aim must be supported by politicians and leaders of the country since realizing such an aim requires formulating and adopting certain policies, measures and full institutional support. There is a need for a plan of action and comprehensive programmes determining explicit priorities in addition to framework to build an information society that would be launched by the highest authority in the country. The Strategy Sectors and Plan of Action Priorities: Priorities and the need for a plan of action revolve around a number of points which can be summarised in the following: 146

1. The institutional, legislative, legal and administrate set up an aim at the realization of an open environment encouraging competition, innovation and skills supported by policies that are in line with the labour market requirements. This will lead to development of human resources and develop the governments administrate set up and build electronic government institutions.

2. To build capabilities and develop human resources which are able to respond to the needs of the information age through continuous education and training that responds to the needs of the information industry to enable cadres to develop in the economic and social sector.

3. To develop the needed infrastructure which will provide information networks and guarantee easy access through a competitive market and new technology to internet services.

4. To promote scientific research with the aim of following the international development in the area of the information industry and its products that in turn serves society’s own objectives and micro-aims.

5. To innovate new sources of finance to realize the different components and complementation of the plan. 147 The Targeted Plans To stimulate work in certain areas, activate it and surmounting limitations thereof. There are a number of major plans that must be implemented first as denoted by the following:

1. Encouraging Plans These are plans that encourage developing the sectors in a certain direction for example to formulate tax policies that will encourage automating the work.

2. Financing Plans These are plan through which the government finances all activities that encourage the development of the information industry like financing activities that spread the information culture.

3. Legislative Plan All plans concerned with the formulation of legislation necessary for ordering, controlling and facilitating the use and industrialization of information. The Policies It is possible to categorize the policies as follows:

1. The institutional, legislative, administrate and government policies frame.

2. To build human resources capabilities 148

3. To develop infrastructure.

4. Scientific Research Design and Development (RDVD).

5. Financial policies.

6. Economic policies.

7. Trade policies.

8. Educational policies.

9. Industrial policies.

10. Information policies. 149 Science and Technology Cluster 150 Science and Technology Strategy

1. The Goal: The targeted objective is to build qualified human capacities in scientific, practical fields and committed to the necessity of utilizing compatible scientific and technological findings to build the country.

2. The Objectives: In the area of formulating scientific research strategy and transfer of technology applications:- A. To conduct applied research that will help resolve scientific, social and environmental problems B. To compliment and help in implementing environment friendly programs. C. To observe the rights of citizens in the area of ownership, contractual and trade rights. D. Developing scientific knowledge within the community.

3. The Policies a. To adhere to National policies and the stage-by-stage- plans. 151 b. To uphold society values and manners that aims at preserving nature and using it for this benefit. The Priorities of Research Programs A. To realize food security. B. To contain and eradicate endemics C. To transfer and localize important technology and implementation of research results. D. To accord importance to the information technology industry, so as to expand the circle of regional and international communication E. To conserve the environment and national resources in order to develop it F. To accord importance to resources and modern technology. 152 Guidance and Waqf Cluster 153 Guidance and Waqf Sector Strategy The section on Guidance and Waqf is concerned with the values in society and deepening the spirit of religion. In turn, this section is concerned with organizing methods of propagating religion, and establishing institutions to train propagators. The strategy takes emphasises on Hajj and Omra and work towards facilitating its procedures. The strategy also aspires to renew and innovate Waqf, formulate policies and plans that will lead to its rehabilitation, of its culture and utilizing its resources. At the same time, the strategy will take care of Christian needs, the church’s associations and to work towards religious tolerance and forgiveness in society to achieve peace and security. The strategy for guidance and Waqf includes other strategies for affiliated units like the general committee for Hajj and Omra, the committee for Islamic Waqf, the national council for praying and prayers and the committee for social deliverance. The social guidance and Waqf strategy has existed for 25 years; its principles are based on the unitary of God which is the basis of religious belief, its conduction and beginnings. It is also the base for freedom as these no servitude but to God the one and only one. Furthermore, it is for equality between peoples and there is no ruling except that of God which is guiding principle and reference for all good conduct. 154 The objective To empower the religious values by upholding Sharia, cherishing the religious tenets, social deliverance and strengthening its pillars in order to become the best of all societies in terms of belief, morals and living conditions. The Goals

1. To install the religious spirit in society by upholding religious value and requirements.

2. To activate the role of Waqf in the advancement of the nation

3. To build and train leaders to be able to complement the propagation of religious teachings.

4. To strengthen the culture of dialogue, upholding the intermediary concept and forgiveness value among the different religions and societies so as to achieve peace and security.

5. To invigorate society committees entrusted with work in the area of propagation.

6. To follow the scientific concept based on correct information and the right ideas and to utilize available technology. 155 The General Policies

1. To glorify the performance of religious duties through education and guidance and to deepen the religious spirit in society in order to enhance the role of Waqf in the advancement of the nation

2. To give special care for spiritual education especially among the youth and to encourage following the proper religious behaviour and the purity of the community.

3. To focus on training.

4. To invigorate society committees working in the area of voluntary work to intensify the propagation activities and guidance.

5. To build information networks and feed them with research, studies and information.

6. To merge all legislation between government institutions working in the areas of religious propagations. To issue suitable legislations for different activities. The Priorities In the field of religious belief, propagation and social deliverance.

1. To further care for the esteemed Holy Koran and to enliven the Prophet’s saying so as to affect the required change. 156

2. To activate the role of the mosque and to rehabilitate its buildings as a beacon of civilization reflecting the nations conceptual values.

3. To care for the Khalwa and develop its environment and improving the status of its sheiks. In the Field of Dialogue

1. To take the initiative concerning the civilized dialogue between religions especially between Islam and Christianity.

2. To deepen religious tolerance and spreading its culture.

3. To rehabilitate churches and utilize their capabilities for peace and unity. In the Field of Waqf To encourage Waqf, develop its investment activities, spreading its culture and utilize it to serve the community. In the Field of Hajj and Omra To make its procedures easier and decrease its costs and improve services. In the area of praying and prayers To accord due importance of the Sufi sect and spiritual awareness apart from fundamentalism and rigidity. 157 In the Field of Research

1. Recognizing scientific research and researchers.

2. Disseminating abridged Islamic jurisprudence based on median tenets and free from fundamentalism and misinterpretations. In the Field of Foreign Relations and Organization

1. To expand agreements with Waqf ministries in Islamic and Christian world. 2. to encourage the formation of society’s religious propagation organisations. 158 Information Cluster 159 Information Strategy Introduction

1. Information is the basis of human social advancement. Human civilization was created when information was born. The history of mankind reflects the progress achieved in the field of information. It follows that the focus of information remains not only through the human mind and thoughts but also through human endeavours, beliefs, ideals, mental, social and worldly needs. In total, the responsibility of information today continues to be very important.

2. In a country like the Sudan, with a large area and boundary ranges so widely, ethnic groups intermingle, cultures cross- fertilize and like other developing countries, suffer from the gap between urban and rural communities. It became essential to develop the role played by information to an engine among other roles, of culture and entertainment. Furthermore, to connect the country’s regions with each other. It equally important that information roles lead to creating a joint national awareness through well prepared and reasonable interventions.

3. In the framework of the Twenty-Five-Year Information Strategy, a set of visions have been conceived through long term projects and programs so to shift to modern technology and scientific methods to achieve the goals while taking into consideration the effect of globalization being one of the most important phenomenon of progress in the field of information.

4. The vision is crystallized in the following:- 160 A. To formulate strategies, policies, plans and programs in the field of information to realize the state’s objective in terms of achieving citizen’s security and well being, the unity of the country’s regions and its territorial integrity. B. To raise national awareness both among the community and government about what the information industry means and to build an information community. C. To usher Sudan with its varied cultural heritage and reflects its civilizations role to the area and world wide. In addition, to make available facts and information to all citizens. D. To connect all Sudanese regions through modern technological tools. E. To manufacture information tools and equipment locally.

1. The Goal To instigate a capable information system that is responsive and transparent to a peaceful, civilized and developed Sudan.

2. The Objectives A. The information equipment must be owned jointly between the government and the private sector.

1. The state should attempt privatization of television stations and open the door for competition between local and foreign production companies. 161

2. To develop capabilities for the private sector to feed the media with information material.

3. To develop a solid information infrastructure so that information can become one of the country’s national resources. B. Public information with all its units and organization for all sectors of Sudanese people in different regions of the country.

1. To make complete information coverage throughout different regions and to enable all citizens to own information equipment.

2. To make available the necessary capability for swift dissemination of information.

3. To focus on training cadres working in the information field so as to be able to compete with their international counterparts.

4. To provide the necessary apparatus and equipment for the transfer of technology to all citizens of the country.

5. To prepare and broadcast children programmes shielding them from negative influence of international TV networks programs. C. To reflect the values and beliefs of different segments of community and enhancing unity values.

1. To spread the call of peace and national unity. 162

2. To encourage citizens to unite around national aims and develop feelings of patriotism.

3. To fortify the internal society against rumours and spreading troubling and destructive ideas.

4. To confront counter-information and cultural invasion aimed at destroying our identity, values and culture.

5. To uphold good, lofty values and fight social illnesses which impede endeavours to develop through enhancing citizen’s capabilities and productivity.

6. To supply scientific facts, knowledge and technological advances and to follow closely the advancement in science without accepting tradition and social values.

3. Policies A. To formulate structures, programs and policies to encourage investment in the information sector through laws and to enable different segments of society to own information and communication equipment. B. To guarantee free competition in the field of information and information technology. 163 C. Adopting social responsibilities as the directing force for the information policy, averting tribalism and strengthening community respect for tradition and good values. D. Stimulating public opinion on the course developing information technology, so as to raise awareness on the need to use newly discovered technology and products of the information industry. Furthermore, to educate the society on the dangers and negative influence resulting from use and implementation thereof. E. To adopt an open door policy towards different cultures without over indulgence or forfeiting national values. F. To encourage citizens to actively participate in the development process and uphold work values.

4. Priorities A. Restructuring and Promulgation of Legislations

1. To review legislation and laws governing the work in the information field and to develop this legislation.

2. To promulgate laws which allow freedom of exchange of information among all citizens. 164

3. To introduce structural and administrative reform measures to improve performance of institutions working in the field of information.

4. To cumulatively build on successes. B. The expansion

1. The media should cover all areas of the Sudan.

2. Internal public opinion should be mobilized and fully educated on the security threats looming over the Sudan.

3. The spreading of Sudanese thought and broadcast different Sudanese cultures through information channels.

4. The sensitization of international public opinion through broadcasting on the developments in the country.

5. The activation of, together with other concerned responsible bodies, external information services.

6. The activation of information services between Sudan and all friendly countries, especially in the Arab world. 165 C. Financial support

1. To make available financial resources for the information bodies as to be able to perform their intended role through budgets and approved allocations.

2. To rehabilitate the information resources, cadres and equipment as the only open route to implement the strategy. D. Evaluation The evaluation process is intended to reveal areas of weakness and strength. The process shall identify the effectiveness of the service in realizing the targeted results among those to whom the service is directed, individuals and groups in a quest for further improvements. The evaluation process should be on the basis of stages, overlapping each other, as follows: A. Initial evaluation: to start with the onset of the projects or programmes. B. Periodic evaluation: this is the operation that is done during the implementation. C. Post evaluation: this is done after the end of the programmes. To guarantee the effectiveness of the evaluation process, it is imperative to identify a mechanism or a body entrusted with implementing this process according to the required practical criteria through revising the projects embodied in the information strategy, gauging their positive side as well as 166 impediments, measures taken to resolve problems and designing executive policies conducive to project development. D. Follow up o To determine the bodies responsible for following the implementation and the problem arising out of it according to the following:

1. Sectoral level

2. Specialization level

3. Sectional level

4. Unit level o To follow the scientific method in the follow up operations. 167 Culture Cluster 168 Culture Strategy Introduction The Sudan’s unique geographical position being the depth of the Arab world in the heart of the African continent has shaped its cultural landscape, with the country possessing both African and Arab features. From this, Sudan is able to renew, develop and react to what has led most of the industrialized societies to abandon lofty values. The world is witnessing a cultural instability dictated by hegemony of the international politics and the desire of mighty states to disseminate their culture. Due to this, Sudan has to face a range of internal challenges in addition to those resulting from globalization. Foretelling the future requires building on a country’s civilization and national heritage. It is essential to strengthen national unity to achieve social and economic wellbeing. Aim To reaffirm and secure the good rudimental cultural values of the united Sudan with its cohesiveness capable of producing, meeting challenges, internal, regional or international changes. Furthermore disposed to make use of diversification and multiple cultural factors thus flowing into the river of unity. Objectives

1. To strengthen the values of justice, benevolence, beauty and to disseminate it within the community. 169

2. To uphold individual and group rights to freedom of expression, to deepen the continuation of gradual reform and development as a way towards positive continued enhancement in the cultural field.

3. To localize modern technology to bridge the knowledge gap and human cultural communication while upholding traditional methods.

4. To foster cultural openness to the international community, advocating the identical origin of human beings and holding a dialogue built on basic values emanating from religion and good traditional values. Policies

1. To entrench the national culture that strengthens social texture.

2. To utilize thoughts, arts and all other cultural activities.

3. To abide by the lofty moral examples of the cultural advancement to establish a comprehensive and contemporary cultural rebirth. Priorities

1. To deepen the values of national unity, social and cultural peace.

2. To build a solid and cohesive base for cultural inputs and technology 170

3. The promotion of human cadre capabilities in the field of culture to realize the required results. 171 Youth and Sport Cluster 172 Youth and Sport Strategy Introduction Our country is a young one. Projected population increases indicate that the percentage of young people will be dominant in the coming years. Therefore, importance is attached to the youth sector with the view of its intrinsic value and investment therein. Youth should be made aware of the impending cultural confrontation. In addition adequately preparing them in a suitable way thereby conforming to the country’s educational strategy. Furthermore in accordance to the strategy which considers the youth to be the makers of the future, its beacon and tools in addition of being the reservoir of energy for all the goodness the community aspires to achieve. The strategy for youth draws its basis from the Islamic-Arab and African cultures. Sudan’s lofty human value is also drawn from the country’s immense capabilities and resources. Furthermore, the conflict hitherto obtaining between its capabilities and resources on one side and the challenges faced on the other side. Youth activities are not confined to investment of youth free time through different activities; it transcends to include other activities aimed at the entire youth community which is part and parcel of development activities in its comprehensiveness. It is further linked and integrated to the educational and production process in addition to the efforts directed to comprehensive development. The commitment of the youth activities to the basic principles would leads to its development. Among these principles 173 are the humanitarian aspect of youth activities and the principle of education for faith and faith for education, the principles of democratic Shura, respect of work, totality, integration, balance and the principle of dialogue. The attention accorded to sport is not only to develop capability, readiness, and skills of individuals but to reach acquire fitness and continue keeping it. Also being cognizant of one’s physical structure and factors of growth therein. Practicing sport also strengthens the ties between individuals and society. The Objectives: • To bring up a generation of Sudanese youth who believe and strongly hold on to religion, its ideas, values and recognize their national, social and human message. • To realize the unity of Sudanese youth, its individuals, groups and their different organizations in a comprehensive institutional framework. • To realize the effective presence of Sudanese youth and students in external activities both regionally and internationally. • To take care of youth with special needs and gifted youth. • To make sport compulsory in the education syllabus, for both sexes and to proved each school and university with needed experts. 174 • To spread out and connect youth with all sport activities in all areas of the country. • To spread the opportunity to practice sport and the building of national teams. • To make available the required infrastructure and equipment to achieve comprehensive advancement in the field of sport. • To spread sport for all to gain health and vitality. • To make use of tribal diversity and specialities and focus on certain types of sport in special areas and to make use of military and educational institutions in all parts of Sudan. The Policies: • To support youth organizations and societies, to sponsor camps and educational fora for the preparation of youth. • To encourage cultural and artistic youth festivals, conferences and weeks for the support and building of peace. • To patronize youth activities, innovation and invention of handicapped, displaced youth and those affected by war, natural disasters and organizing exhibitions and competitions for their production. 175 • To allocate budgets and entice funding by participation and contribution of youth organizations and societies in regional and international fora. • To make use of agreements, cooperative and exchange relations between friendly countries to finance and implement programmes aimed at rehabilitating sport complexes, providing sport gear and equipment for all parts of the country. • To work towards approving federal and state for implanting the above programmes and to protect present open spaces and play grounds in all the housing development plans. • Coordinating in cooperation with the federal Ministry of Public Education, the Ministry of Higher Education and the State ministries to allocate sessions for physical education and sport in public and high schools, universities and other institutions. Also, appointing the required specialized instructors. • Cooperating with the Ministry of Higher Education and the states to establish physical educational college in different states universities. • Creating a federal administration for youth and to encourage the states to follow suit not only for football but for other sport. • To encourage and support associations to organize youth competitions and build new schools for them. 176 • Allocating budgets for the preparation of national teams and meeting participation fees in the framework of regional and international associations and providing experts and specialized coaches for these teams. • Encouraging the private sector to patronize sport activities, support and finance these activities from funds reserved for publicity. • Studying the varied characteristics of tribes and their special endowments, their traditions and sport activities in which they could excel so as cooperate with the states to secure equipment, finance and develop these activities. Priorities and Objectives: A. Youth

1. To groom generations of Sudanese secured and involved youth.

2. To realize unity of all Sudanese youth.

3. To patronize youth with special needs, the talented and gifted.

4. Realizing effective presence of Sudanese youth at regional and international fora. 177 B. Sport

1. To provide basic infrastructure and other essentials needed to achieve development in the field of sport.

2. To make sports compulsory in the educational syllabuses in all universities and high schools.

3. To establish youth associations for all sport all over the country.

4. To spread sports for all so as to acquire good health, strength and making it possible to practice competitive sports. Also, the formation of national teams.

5. To make use of the tribal variations, characteristics and traditions. Evaluation The evaluation of the strategies at different stages, periodically and continuously could be recorded through reports. 178 Non-Governmental Organizations Cluster 179 Non-Governmental Organizations Strategy Introduction The civil society is a newly coined term and has become an important tenet of the state and community activities. It has assumed a variety of functions since its inception. The role of the civil society, locally and internationally is increasing at an accelerating pace to undertake functions the state is not able undertake. The Objectives

1. To build a civil society that provides sponsorship for its members being a lofty religious and humanitarian value, strengthen equality, justice, burden-sharing, mercy, communication, love and the respect of pluralism and social diversity.

2. To build an equitable civil society which is at par with the state in respect of distribution of national wealth in a manner that offers fair participation in the dividends of economic, political and social progress.

3. To achieve peaceful co-existence and social communication leading towards national unity and consensus.

4. To protect citizens from alienation resulting from western civilization and strengthening religious belief as a way of life. 180 Present Challenges

1. To activate participation in order to achieve sustainable peace and national consensus and to rebuild war damaged areas.

2. To build complimentary relations between official organs, the state and the civil society based on adherence and acceptance, institutionalization and transparency.

3. To activate and support national and foreign voluntary activities to participate in economic, social, health and environmental fields.

4. To prepare economic, social and burden-sharing programs leading to a reduction of poverty.

5. To activate the women sector and develop the capacity thereof to play an active role in family and community building.

6. To take necessary precautionary measures to address destructive habits and the ramifications of population movements, conflicts, wars and the negative aspects of globalization. Basic Means

1. To lessen the impact of poverty through economic programs and integrated burden-sharing programs.

2. To eradicate illiteracy by expanding both private and state education. 181

3. To spread health awareness and to establish national and voluntary health care centres.

4. To raise the capabilities of the civil society institutions both administratively and technically.

5. Taking measures that would deal with social deformities and harmful social habits.

6. To spread the culture of peace.

7. To chart and implement programs that would upkeep the cohesiveness of the Sudanese social fabric and upholding its religious values and superior heritage. The Priorities

1. The participation in the process of peace building and social accord so as to rehabilitate war damaged areas.

2. To build an information database, establishing and strengthening specialized research centres in order to raise the capacities of the different sectoral components.

3. To institute an integration relationship between government institutions based on consent, transparency and mutual commitment regarding respecting the constitution, legislations, laws, rules and commitment to basic freedoms and human rights.

4. To participate in preparing and implementing special programs in the area of balanced and sustainable 182 economic development and capacity building, social development and productive partnerships with different sectors.

5. To participate in preparing and implementing poverty reduction programs and those dealing with the outcome of population movement and tribal feuds.

6. To participate in completing and strengthening infrastructure and in particular production infrastructure.

7. To rehabilitate large industrial areas, develop small- scale industrial complexes and to mobilize dormant capacities.

8. To increase land under cultivation, productivity and the decrease costs production.

9. To reorganize economic, financial, credit legislation and the local and foreign investment environment.

10. To optimize use of arable land and utilizing the scientific methods in agriculture, animal production an forests.

11. To build and structure national civil organizations (private sector and civil society organizations) to enable them to benefit from similar international organizations.

12. To realize self-sufficiency in agricultural and industrial goods in addition to services in a manner that serves local consumption and export. 183

13. To re arrange, develop and support institution that serve propagation of belief Sufism and national sector.

14. To rehabilitate and develop the infrastructure of national education institutions and provide the required technical and technological necessities enabling them to carry out necessary in scientific advancement.

15. To build special technical education institutions and expanding therein. 184 Popular System Cluster 185 Popular System Strategy Introduction: This traditional system represents the primary formations which were not established by the state like modern formation which are basic tributaries of the civil society. The Objectives:

1. To institutionalize religion and good manners in all walks of life.

2. To rehabilitate educational centres and religion institutes to advance all levels of society in the field of knowledge, culture and behaviour.

3. To build, rehabilitate and support research and special centres in a way that would serve the national sector.

4. To accord importance to training and modern rehabilitation of all sectors.

5. To organize the Sufi sects and relate them with similar international institutions.

6. To expand in building prayers and religious education facilities in all populated areas.

7. To activate the role of popular organizations in combating ethnic and regional bias and to work towards achieving amicable settlements of disputes together with dissemination of spirit of national blending and assimilation.. 186 Challenges

1. To develop and codify rules, legislation and laws of the popular administration to enable it to participate in strengthening unity and national development.

2. To organize Sufi institutions and raise its capabilities to participate in social activities in addition to its political objectives.

3. To draw local and foreign saving and investment to develop and rehabilitate infrastructure and required technical assistance and technology to popular education.

4. To follow rapid international development and to make use of it without losing identity and originality. The Means:

1. To use information technology, methods of scientific research, studies and scientific experimentations to raise standards of different popular sector institutions.

2. To develop sectoral capabilities to enable it to build relations with the outside world, exchange benefits and strengthen its role in development and social peace.

3. To reach coordinated partnership with other sectors in programs and policies in addition to drawing unified and balanced standards in respect of the components of the popular sector. 187

4. To reorganize the national sector administratively and legislatively, in order to organize its relationships with official institutions.

5. To make pre-school education compulsory and make sure that all decisions concerning this matter are implemented. 188 Social Services Strategy 189 Social Services Strategy Introduction The social services strategy is considered to be the most important in human activities on its political, economic, social and cultural levels. Alongside that fact, it touches everyday problems as it represents that base upon which progress is founded. It is very difficult to launch and develop an activity without infrastructure like roads, electricity, bridges etc. It is equally extremely difficult to start an economic development project in the absence of a viable transport sector represented by railways, road transportation covering the whole of the country with sea and river transportations. Also, no project could be implemented without educational services as an educated citizen is the main conduit for progress. Furthermore, citizens ought to be of sound body and mind in order to contribute effectively in progress. Based on the above, the goal of the Twenty-Five-Year Strategy in the area services was to provide advanced, accessible, comfortable and equitable services to the citizen so as to be able to march with determination in the course towards comprehensive advancement. The Goal All citizens should enjoy advanced services in the areas of education, health, shelter, water supply, electricity, transportation and communication at the lowest cost. 190 The Challenges

1. To determine a rate for the population growth and improve the population characteristic in a way conducive to social and economic development.

2. Comprehensive human development.

3. The technological, technical labour gap and the transformative programs for skilled labour in line with the requirements of economic development activities.

4. To eradicate epidemics, endemics and the conservation of clean and healthy environment.

5. To make energy available to serve population groups and domestic needs.

6. To connect the country through a network of roads, river, sea, air and railways.

7. To link big residential groups with wide and fast communication networks. The Message of the Social Services Strategy All ministries, cooperation and service institutions should be committed that all citizens shall enjoy advanced services in health, drinking water, welfare, social development, housing, labour, public services and administrative reform, transport, aviation, roads and bridges, communication, post and telegraph, environment and physical development at the lowest cost by: 191 • Developing medical services, particularly preventive medicine and health education. • Planning and implement a balance between the need of social services and the labour force. • To develop communication services and technology. • To expand vertically and horizontally the service of maternity and child health care,. • To follow scientific methods on administering services in terms of planning, implementation, cost and spreading thereof. The Means:

1. To raise the capabilities of health institutions in water and environment in cooperation with international and regional organizations.

2. To increase electricity generation, transportation and distribution networks in joint ventures with national and foreign private sector firms.

3. To build roads, bridges, crossings on permanent or seasonal water courses, renew and rehabilitate railways infrastructure, increase the shunting capacity and speed so as to connect the country with a network of railways especially to connect industrial areas.

4. To renew and develop the capabilities of river, sea and air fleets. 192

5. To build aerodromes, specialized ports, multiple and varied transport means according to international and regional standards.

6. To enable the private sector to widely invest in infrastructure of all services

7. To implement programmes that enable citizens to deal with the challenges of globalization and privatization.

8. To gradually introduce new technology in services so as to assure quality and to reduced costs. Results and Success Indicators:

1. The private sector share in social services is at least 70% of the total investments in the social services sector,.

2. To improve the environment in the areas of residential, industrial and commercial areas together with continued field monitoring.

3. To provide field equipment and apparatus for environmental improvement

4. To rehabilitate, develop and increase medical care institutions to cover 80% of citizens with a complete range of medical service in addition to introducing health insurance to cover 60% of the population. 193

5. To decrease the percentage of the convalescents, reduce disability, mortality by malaria and other diseases by 75%, decreasing maternal and child mortality by not less than 50%.

6. To cover 80% of the citizens with immunization services and combating endemics and epidemics.

7. To expand sewage services in large cities.

8. To provide drinking water at the rate of 18 litre per day per person in rural areas and 90 litre per day per person in urban areas.

9. To provide electrical power to all agricultural, industrial and commercial projects and a sustainable supply to 80% of residential areas.

10. To construct 5,000 kilometres of national highways.

11. To construct not less than five-bridges on the River Nile and its tributaries in addition to bridges and causeways on projected national highways.

12. To double railway shunting and transport capacity in addition to doubling the transported tonnage six-times.

13. To increase the railway speed to 120 kilo/hour and to lessen the railway wagon turnover to 8 days.

14. To rehabilitate and renew railways to cover all industrial and residential areas.

15. To rehabilitate river transport, towing capacities and manufacture not less then 90 new barges with different capacities. 194

16. To increase the turn over of river steamers and barges.

17. To build not less then 10 sea vessels of different capacities and types (passengers, cargo, livestock, petroleum).

18. To increase the volume of traffic in sea parts by 50%.

19. To raise the capabilities of air transportations and to achieve an annual increase of 8%, in passengers and 5% in cargo and 6.5% in aircraft traffic.

20. To construct 4 aerodromes and to rehabilitate 21 and 15 airstrips in the states.

21. To update communication in aerodromes, higher space monitoring networks and metrological services.

22. To expand communication networks in a way that would enable using high speed internet and other services.

23. To complete the privatization and expansion of mail service coverage and improving the quality of services.

24. To arrange and implement alternative solutions to workers affected by globalization and privatization. The Conclusion: The implementation of the Twenty-Five-Year Strategy and the realization of its goals depend on the successful implementation of the social services strategy which represents the starting point of the implementation of the Twenty-Five- Year Strategy. 195 Health Cluster 196 The Health Strategy Introduction: Social development basic aim is to improve the quality of life for citizens and their health. To lessen sufferings, preserve rights and make available the basic needs. For this reason the strategy take into consideration the following: A. To increase the degree of health services coverage and to raise it capabilities to meet citizens’ needs. B. To respond to internal and international changes C. To provide health services within the comprehensive economic and social development framework D. Sectoral arrangement of health rendered within and outside the system. E. To guarantee the availability of needed financial resources and its continuation taking into consideration preferential distribution based on practical consideration. The Goal: The goal will continue to provide health service for all citizens so that each will enjoy the high possible standards which would enable him to lead a social, economically productive life as one of his basic rights. Primary health care would continue to be the major methods to attain health for all governed by basic strategies upholding the established social values. Continue to deal 197 with major health problems with full participation of different sectors augmented by political support and continuous economic development. The Overall Vision: A. To build a health system that would improve health based on equity, efficiency, modernity and community participation B. To decrease the number of sick people, mortality rates and disabled persons. C. To focus on targeted sectors those in need. D. To control the social, economic, environmental and behavioural factors that affect health. The Policies • To adopt primary health care so as to realize health for all depending on: A. The political administration and serious professional dedication B. Community participation C. Well thought sectoral coordination 198 • To provide primary health care, medical treatment, preventive and boosting services and rehabilitation services through A. Equitable distributing health care services based on scientific and practical consideration B. To provide the service to the most vulnerable and susceptible to illness. C. To decrease maternal and child mortality rates. D. To increase the efficiency of treatment, preventive care and immunisation services. E. To raise the health awareness among citizens and encourage health support endeavours. F. To provide medical and health cadres in numbers and quality. G. To encourage the private sector to play its role in developing and improving medical services. • To strengthen the relationship and partnership with specialized international, regional and voluntary and national organizations 199 • The Criteria to Determine High Priority Health Problems: A. The problems that are widely spread and causing a high percentage of illnesses. B. Problems causing high mortality rate. C. Availability and capabilities to control problems and master solutions. D. Those that may cause serious problems in the future. E. Diseases that can spread rapidly. F. Causing illness and long term suffering • When applying the above criteria, it should lead to: A. Resolving the health problem. B. To gain confidence of members of the community and reassuring them of the effectiveness of the health system. C. To deal with health problems of targeted groups. D. Improving living standards and healthy life norms. Priority Health Problems: A. Malaria. B. Tuberculosis. 200 C. Bilharzias D. Diarrhoea and Respiratory Tract diseases. E. Malnutrition and Anaemia. F. Disease that can be prevented by immunization. G. Disease that are transferred by carriers (i.e. Lychmania, river blindness etc.) H. Disease connected with modern way of life (i.e. high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiac disease etc.) Priorities of Service Strategy: A. To increase the area coverage by services and raise its capabilities. B. To create a system for health economics. C. To control negative environmental impacts. D. To strengthen and develop the emergency, ambulatory and accident services. E. To develop human resources in quality according to a well prepared plan which would be strictly implemented F. To reorganize the health system in a way that will enhance implementation. G. To strengthen health research centres and field surveys. 201 A. In the Field of Primary Health Care:

1. To translate the political promises into reality.

2. To improve technical and administrative knowledge.

3. To strengthen community participation.

4. To create a mechanism for continuous improvement of health services.

5. To strengthen the health care information system.

6. To create referral system to the second and third levels.

7. To coordinate with other sectors. B. In the Field of Improving Environmental Health

1. Drinking water.

2. Nutritious food.

3. Treatment of organic, non-organic and chemical waste according to scientific methods

4. Combating disease carriers.

5. To issue scientific standards for environmental health

6. To provide trained manpower and required financial resources 202

7. To treat air pollution. C. In the Area of Eradication Widely-Spread Diseases:

1. To decrease the burden of negative diseases.

2. To strengthen monitoring mechanisms of disease activities, strengthen early warning systems and to predict incidence of major contagious diseases.

3. To observe and care for non sporadic diseases resulting from demographic and changes in lifestyles. D. In the Area of Resources: To formulate a sound human resources policy based on:

1. Analysing the present situation and determining future needs.

2. Preparing a plan that guarantees the balance between what is required and what is available of different levels of skilled labour force in addition to profiling them.

3. Strengthening the system of continuous training.

4. Following a proper recruitment and incentive polices to keep qualified cadres.

5. Instilling good values among those working in the health service. 203 E. In the Area of Strengthening Emergency, Ambulatory and Accidents Services

1. To strengthen the accident section to supply them with needed materials, equipment and personnel.

2. To provide a central, very effective ambulance system.

3. Complete readiness to meet any emergency which might arise in cooperation with other medical service sectors.

4. To provide the pivotal complementary health service that is needed by the emergency sector. F. In the Area of Common Diseases

1. Malaria A. To strengthen the malaria administrative organs in the states. B. To mobilize the community and its organizations to participate in combating Malaria. C. Early diagnosis and effective treatment. D. To fight mosquitoes and control breeding places E. To conduct applied research. 204 F. Undertaking applied research.

2. Tuberculosis A. To reach the rate of 80% for diagnosis and 90% for complete treatment. B. Complete national coverage with diagnostic and treatment centres. C. Providing medicine and treatment. D. Raising community awareness in respect of the disease and preventive measures E. Raising the efficiency of the losses system

3. Bilharzias A. To follow the complete system of fighting against it. (treat cases, combating carriers, chart and spread health awareness B. To cooperate with related sectors C. Availability of trained cadre D. Prepare diagnostic and treatment facilities E. Strengthen applied research. 205

4. Diarrhoea and Respiratory Diseases A. To avail the complete medical treatment programs to sick children B. To increase preventive activities. C. To build centres for raising the capability for domestic and treatment work and make needed medicine available. D. To train medical cadres for health extension services and volunteer to render the same services to the general public. E. To undertake periodic research related to this disease.

5. Expanded Programme of Immunization: i. To rehabilitate cold store chains and refrigerators, using solar energy where appropriate. ii. To provide the required vaccines and serums. iii. To provide necessary means of transportation. iv. To strengthen the monitoring and investigation system. v. To raise the percentage of immunization to 100%. vi. To raise the percentage of immunization in areas of conflict to a reasonable level and utilize peace to expand the activities of the programmes in the area. 206 vii. To work towards maintaining the present high rate of immunization. It is clear from the above that the strategy takes care of all common diseases which are widespread in areas that are in greatest need and the sectors that have high percentage of people facing disease. H. In the Area of Therapeutic Medicine and Major Auxiliary Services:

1. To correct all shortages in past national strategies

2. To upgrade and develop services to be inline with international standards while providing the necessary requirements, apparatuses and technology.

3. To train cadres, different health workers and provide the needed numbers.

4. To raise the percentage of service coverage and strengthen the system of originality inside the provinces and between the provinces.

5. To support the policy of private sector participation and explain its role in developing medical services in a way that serve the strategy’s aims I. In the area of Quarantines In the area of public health where the Sudan has joint agreements with neighbouring countries, the strategy depends on implementing these international agreements and to make 207 the best use of material and technical capabilities provided by these agreements. The strategy also depends on monitoring the different gateways to the country to stop any infiltration of disease from neighbouring countries, through sea or air ports or through the movement of passengers by road. The Health Plan for 2007-2031 General Points of Reference: A. To build a comprehensive health system that will aid in implementing the development plan for the health service and will be reflected in the levels implementation of social and economic development B. To create a balance between the three health systems (primary, secondary and tertiary) C. To raise the capabilities of health workers Plan of Action A. To build an executive body through:

1. Reinstating balance, distribution of authority and to formulate a suitable management structure

2. To develop technical and administrate capabilities

3. To transfer and make use on international and regional experimental services. 208 B. Service Coverage

1. To cover 80% of the population with a collection of complete services

2. To draw up a health map and make it the basis for planning

3. To build an effective referral system

4. To build distinguished services and research centres.

5. To apply the system of remote medical treatment to raise health service capabilities and to realize fair distribution C. Therapeutic Services

1. To formulate appropriate levels and sizes for health institutions including apparatuses and buildings

2. To strengthen emergency and ambulances services

3. To improve pharmacology services

4. To modernize hospitals to be able to better perform their services and educational role in order to improve diagnostic and medical treatment D. Human Resources Development:

1. Creating an effective training institution. 209 • to formulate training policies and upgrade the syllabuses • to activate training programs • to determine the required number for each group • to strengthen human resources in administrative training organs

2. Addressing the imbalances in posting different medical cadres.

3. Developing emergency programs to rectify imbalances in staff skills and expertise.

4. Identifying required internal and external training needs. E. Developing Financial Resources • To establish balance between actual approved needs and priorities between types of service, be it preventative or medical treatment and geographical levels (70% for primary healthcare, 20% for secondary and 10% for tertiary) • To build an economic health system and to make the best use of renewable resources • To involve society internationally, regionally and nationally in voluntary organizations to form a unified system to distribute available resources. 210 • To encourage investment in health services. F. Developing Health Information Systems

1. To build health information systems in health areas

2. To use suitable technology and computerize the systems G. Strengthening Medical Research

1. To provide suitable number of researchers and to raise their capabilities

2. To identify suitable research areas

3. To develop mechanisms to help make use of research results. H. Primary Health Care

1. To share effort to lessen the number of sick people and to decrease deaths of mothers and children so to improve quality of life

2. To decrease death according to the following • Reduce infant mortality by 20% compared to the 1999 average of 58-68/1000 delivered alive 211 • Reduce maternal mortality by 30% compared to the 1999 average of 458-509/100,00 live births • Reduce children under-5 mortality by 50% compared to the 1999 average to 51-103/100,00 live births To increase health service coverage as follows: To increase the number of localities with health services by 50% Raise coverage of areas with health services to the range of 80% To formulate scientific measurements for services with 100% coverage. C. Therapeutic Treatment of Sick Children To increase training for intended cadres by 100% To raise health awareness for intended groups to 80% To strengthen the referral system. The Expansion of Immunization A. To raise the child annual coverage rate from 70% to 90% B. To establish a certificate system showing which immunizations a child has received 212 C. To decrease the percentage of those catching measles to 60% and the death rate to 40% compared to 2000 rates D. To follow the system of tabulation for children’s diseases E. To provide vaccines, syringes, and solar powered cold store chains. Reproductive Health A. To provide villages with midwifery services and to reach 80% coverage B. To raise emergency services to pregnant and delivering women to 80% C. To increase the percentage of immunization rate for pregnant women against tetanus to from 37% to 70% The Nutrition Situation A. To improve health services to follow up the program for raising the rate of growth in health institutions to 80% B. To decrease thyroid gland related illnesses to less than 5%. C. To decrease blindness caused by malnutrition to less then 1% 213 D. To raise administering vitamin A to children to 80% and mothers to 50%. Preventive Medicine General Objectives A. To cover 80% of citizens with services aimed at fighting endemics. B. To formulate and implement measures that fully combat diseases

1. Epidemics A. To increase by 100% programs that strengthen the capacity of administrative epidemic units in the states. B. Combat epidemics in a scientific way so as to eradicate and control them. C. To strengthen systems monitoring epidemics. D. To raise by 100% the capabilities of quarantine services.

2. Endemics A. To create specialized and capable units in the states. B. To provide trained cadres in quantity and quality. 214 C. To provide the required apparatus, equipment, medicine and insecticides. A plan has been made for each disease and each geographical location in conformity with the following: • The size of the problem and the rate of affected persons. • The mortality rate. • The economic and social impact. • Ways of combating or eradicating the disease. • The available infrastructure and what can be made available. • The required human resources. Therapeutic Medicine Sector A. Providing infrastructure. B. Identifying required resources in quantity and quality. C. Identifying the criteria on which requisitions are made. D. Providing apparatus, equipments and other required needs. 215 E. Distributing services in an equitable manner and in a way compatible with the needs and priorities in each geographical location and medical service. Legislation: To review all present legislation to match with the changes that have affected the health administration set up, federal laws, state and local rules. The pharmaceutical services and drugs supply: The General Goal: Ensuring an adequate and regular supply of quality drugs to citizens at the lowest possible cost. A. To raise capabilities of pharmacists and increase their number. B. To raise the capabilities of drug supervision, develop medical research laboratories and oversee quality standards C. To develop the pharmaceutical industry D. To approve the basic drugs list and review it periodically. E. To develop a drug supply system. F. To focus on the revolving drug system. 216 G. To activate a system of scientific and applied research. H. To activate governance over the pharmaceutical practice. I. To create pharmaceutical production units in hospitals J. To build a reference library in the area of pharmacy. 217 Drinking Water Cluster 218 Drinking Water Strategy Introduction

1. Providing water suitable for human and animal use in addition to industrial, agricultural and other uses is considered one of the most important infrastructure component necessary for achieving economic and social development

2. Provision of water for human and animal use contributes to realizing security and averts tribal feuds, and conflicts between nomads and farming communities. It also supports efforts to restore plant coverage and combat desertification Objectives

1. To fight thirst through providing adequate uncontaminated water

2. To increase the rates of economic development

3. To improve population settlements by utilizing natural resources and making available uncontaminated and continuous drinking water.

4. To provide water resources for livestock.

5. To increase the consumption rate for rural individuals to 50 litres per day and to 150 litres per day for the urban individual. 219

6. To provide livestock requirements in inadequate water areas taking into consideration environmental conditions and available natural resources. The National Strategic Plan for Phase I Objectives: A. To increase water availability for individuals in urban areas from 50 litres per day to 90 litres per day B. To increase water availability for individuals in rural areas from 9 litres per day to 20 litres per day C. To raise capabilities to realize sustainability of structures. D. To save 661 cubic meters of water annually in villages and cities so as to improve the quality of available water. E. Institutional support includes:

1. To complete national training centres for water treatment technicians

2. To rehabilitate the central information centre and link it with state water authorities.

3. To provide diagnostic laboratories for supervision and determining suitable waters in the states. 220

4. To support national authority to undertake feasibility studies and design water projects.

5. To annex the artesian water administration to the national water cooperation F. The cost of implementing the strategy is estimated to be around 250 billion Dinars. Sewage Strategy The Goals:

1. To create a healthy environment

2. Controlling environmental refuse disposal. The Policies:

1. To establish a national environmental organization to improve the environment covering all the states.

2. Disposing of all elements causing environmental contamination.

3. To prepare enabling laws and legislations.

4. To prepare and train technical cadres.

5. Monitoring, evaluating and implementing remedial measures as necessary. 221 The Strategy Plan for Phase II

1. To raise the capabilities of sewage in Khartoum and complete coverage in areas not yet covered in addition to completing Eastern Nile network and constructing the Omdurman network in phases.

2. To create the national council for strategic planning for environmental water improvement and waste disposal

3. To train leading technical cadres so as to improve their skills

4. To avert environmental, artesian wells and running water contamination.

5. To conduct studies, research and plans to start implementing a sewage networks in large cities in Sudan The Strategic Plan for Other Phases

1. Complete coverage of a waste disposal network in Sudan

2. To continue the evaluation, follow up and modernization process. 222 Social Welfare and Development Cluster 223 Social Welfare and Development Strategy Introduction The preparation of the strategy for social welfare and development was based on a tacit religious understanding that development in its essence is about the development of people and that citizens are its active tools. The citizen’s role increases when confronted with multiple alternatives. The creation of different kinds of institutional formations and social set ups would help in utilizing capabilities and marshalling energies to implement what should be done. The strategy starts from what had been achieved economically and socially together with institutional development. It emanates from realizing the connection between people and sustainable development which confronts poverty and enables society, family, and women to act in preserving the environment. The strategy is in response to people desires to build a united nation and to build an administrative system that would guarantee security against all social dangers present or expected and to enforce social security networks. The strategy was conceived from our civilization and cultural heritage, the outcome of past social development activities and look for possible future positive social development in the light of peace. In addition to openness, the strategy also focuses on problems of housing, development, security and social welfare. The preparation of the strategy came immediately after the period allocated to the Ten-Year Strategy (1992-2000). It should be stated that the aims and goals for that strategy are still valid for the coming quarter century. The national comprehensive strategy is an important step in laying the foundations for strategic thinking 224 despite what was implemented in the area of social, housing, women and childhood. The strategy still faces some difficulties represented by:

1. No tools for establishing follow up mechanisms.

2. The aims and goals of the Ten-Year Strategy were not well known for absence of publicity.

3. The lacking determination to achieve social change.

4. Very low financial resources.

5. Lack of allocation of adequate funds for social work.

6. Poor institutional set ups, human and material resources in the field of social work.

7. Insufficient technical and financial international support which seriously affects most projects and social development strategies.

8. The lack of involvement of civil society organizations in the preparations, implementation and follow up of programmes. The Basic direction A. Taking into consideration Sudanese values, beliefs, human dignity and the marked determination to take corrective measures B. Moving from goals and aims of our people to building a unified, civilized and peaceful nation 225 C. Supporting the values of the National Comprehension Strategy, the presidential second program and the National Population Strategy. D. Taking stock of the achievements of our people and what has been realized economically, socially, constitutionally and its endeavours to complete programs and achieve peaceful development and expanding freedoms. E. To look forward to effective participation in the new international order while preserving Sudanese identity and values. The Goals To help in building a self-sufficient society based on justice and knowledge. To strengthen attitudes, social networks and to ensure people’s active participation in everyday community life. The Objectives A. To achieve development and thereby unfolding the national goal of building a unified and secured nation. B. To improve the characteristics of the population and people’s quality of life C. The participation of society and its organization in preparing, implementing and following up social development. 226 D. To strengthen the role of women as a partner in community-building in the context of family and social institutions. E. To mobilize women, enable them to perform many tasks and actively participate in sustainable development so as so to empower them socially, economically and politically to undertake local and international tasks. F. To instil good values in children so as to become good citizens G. To reduce poverty rates as a step towards poverty eradication being the strategic goal. H. To spread the spirit of social care to encompass vulnerable groups, those with special needs, orphans, senior citizens, and groups in need of social protection i.e. the homeless, juvenile delinquents, substance abusers and their families. I. To work towards achieving social security J. To marshal additional financial resources to achieve the objectives of social development The Policies A. To enhance lofty values that guard human dignity, forgiveness and justice. B. People are the focal point and as such are the target of development. 227 C. Family is the nucleus of the society and the natural haven for all its members. D. To adopt effective policies to reduce all types of poverty and uphold work values. E. National dialogue as a method to achieve unity and social peace. F. To strengthen developmental role of social work and mobilize community energies to help in building the present and future. G. To reach a demographic distribution which is balanced vis-à-vis development requirements, amalgamate the city development in the main stream of continuous development through dwellers settlement in their original location and to improve urban development. To enforce and rationalize the best use of the environment while preserving, balancing and achieving decentralization of administrative structures. To curtail emigration and population movements and to work towards settling nomads. H. To realize objective of secure motherhood and healthy children through decreasing the maternal mortality rate. Addressing problems caused by dangerous pregnancies and to improve the efficacy of advice, information, education and communication in the field of maternal care. I. To activate and complete legislations that protects female human rights and shields them from all kinds of 228 abusive treatment in conformity with religion, tradition and international agreements. J. To find and prepare an environment capable and suitable for the eradication of harmful habits so as to develop women and empower them to play leading role in change and other numerous roles. K. Giving special treatment to gifted children and youths and to discover their talents at an early stage and help develop that talent. L. To give social protection to those who are susceptible to poverty. M. To expand the possibility of making rural life more attractive. N. To encourage the creation of more organizations, encouraging relations between them and to compliment society, the market and the state. The Priorities A. To reduce poverty. B. To achieve social peace. C. To maintain identity and values. D. To work to achieve a population distribution that will balance development, security and peace. 229 E. To expand social security network to include all individuals in Sudanese society. F. To participate in state and civil society organization. G. To protect the family against factors of weakness and to guard them against all negative influences. H. To empower women to absorb national, regional and international change. I. To protect and develop children as the main focus in social development. J. To establish an information database and encourage social research. K. To build capabilities and social rehabilitations. L. To follow up and tabulate negative influences, working to combat and eradicate them. The Tools A. To enhance official and non-official endeavours and to reach cooperation between them. B. To lower the implementation of projects to the lowest administrative level possible, improve vertical and horizontal relations through a chain of information complementary to the role of the states and civil society and to augment cooperation and participation between them. 230 C. To improve the work done by social security organizations and subject them to transparency and accountability. The Means: A. To enshrine social dialogue and social connectivity. B. To give added attention to poor families and those with limited income by making available training to get credit and creating an atmosphere conducive for success for small scale and productive families projects. C. To amalgamate a social dimension in economic activities and make it possible for all to reach equal and equitable level of income, resources and social services. D. To enforce the capabilities to do continuous and comprehensive programmes for data collection and analysis, use information, drive quantitative and qualitative indicators to tabulate methods and realizing the objectives of development and social progress. E. To support social research in order to fill the gaps in knowledge and guaranteeing a strong base on which to develop social policies. F. To develop quality programs to enhance good social manners and values so as to fight bad habits and negative traditions. G. To study the characteristics of women and expand her opportunities. 231 H. To give special care to gifted children. I. To adopt social awareness and social dialogue. 232 Population Cluster 233 Population Strategy Introduction The population strategy, cognizant of the goals of national population policies has ensured congruency and compatibility of its goals so as to conform to its development goals in different development sectors. It also took into consideration the demographic changes so as to achieve balance between the factors of comprehensive development within the confines of what has been accepted by the belief of the Sudanese people and inline with the values, traditions and heritage which represent our social behaviour. The Objectives:

1. To harmonize between comprehensive development needs, rate of population growth and improving the quality of life.

2. To prepare individuals naturally and scientifically in a way that would develop him mentally, consciously and spiritually. In addition, it would develop individuals ability to implement what called religiously to perform.

3. To increase life expectancy by decreasing the general mortality rate and infant mortality rate by 50% of the present rate by the year 2015.

4. To achieve food security, drinking water, energy and the best use of natural resources so as to realize continuous development especially with the advent of 234 modernization in order to affect a perfect balance between the economy and of the environment.

5. To guarantee secured shelter and to improve urban and rural housing standards.

6. To strengthen population knowledge and skill capabilities through illiteracy campaigns so as to spread basic education and expand secondary, higher and technical education.

7. To reach full employment by the year 2015 by improving labour market conditions and expand the economy and hence the chances for rewarding productive work.

8. To achieve a balanced geographical distribution of population by rationalizing internal and external movement through expanding development.

9. To further support the process of female empowerment and to develop their potential so as to guarantee women’s civil and political rights in addition to ensuring women contribute to modernize, develop and strengthen their role in spreading the culture of peace.

10. To achieve secured motherhood and safe childhood to ensure healthy reproduction and deliveries.

11. To lay the basis for social security by reducing pockets of poverty and expanding social protection networks. 235

12. To provide youth with material, spiritual needs, providing opportunities to build their capabilities and facilitate marriage.

13. To make modern information technology accessible to large sections of the population.

14. To provide cultural and social armament to the future generations against negative globalization effects.

15. To guarantee the community participation at all levels to raise awareness, knowledge and fidelity to the important problems related to the population to arrive to consensus, common ideas, and unified positions regarding family and community problems, society and sustainable human development.

16. To strengthen cooperation with civil society organizations like the United Nations and international bodies working in the population field. The Policies

1. To develop general and higher education, to realize academic knowledge, connect it with population needs and to improve its quality and quantity.

2. To secure and strengthen scientific and technological skills and coordinate education, training and employment policies with modern methods of work.

3. To deal with immigration effects by encouraging internal immigration so as to help in building 236 national unity and cultural outreach that would guarantee continuous development.

4. To unleash women energies in the development struggle and provide equal opportunities production and participation in national issues.

5. To incorporate population problems into the economical, social and cultural plans so to improve the quality of life of the population.

6. To achieve food security, sufficient water availability and optimum use of natural resources.

7. To improve services given to maternal and child health care.

8. To decrease the impact of poverty and to achieve an atmosphere conducive to improvement of the quality of life for poor families through availing productive work opportunities.

9. To improve the life of the youth spiritually, ideologically and culturally.

10. To develop culture and especially information culture through knowledge, education and scientific research.

11. To achieve community participation in the administration of local affairs, economic, social, political and cultural development so as to strengthen national unity and belongingness between the people. 237

12. The continuation of national regional and international population policies,. Priorities for the Strategic Plan for the First stage (2007-2011)

1. To implement the national population policy .

2. To follow up and evaluate the national population policy.

3. To develop international cooperation in the field of population.

4. To develop institutions and set up building of a national population council. The Strategic Plan for the Subsequent Four Stages (2011- 2031)

1. On the basis of approved population policies; according to The Council of Ministries Resolution number 48 for (2000), the General Strategy issued by the National Population Council Secretariat for the period of 2011-2031 called for the following. a. To collect information, conduct research and studies in the population field and development with the aim of revising and modernizing population policies. b. To strengthen the coordination between national ministries, provinces, departments of specialised councils, international 238 organizations and the different voluntary organizations working the population field. c. To develop population information and to create information systems for population policies with the aim of making it easy to follow up and evaluate. d. To work towards developing international cooperation in the population field. e. To issue the annual coverage of the population situation in Sudan. f. To collect and classify reports issues by organs implementing programs periodically as to help in preparing follow up and evaluation reports g. To help in designing programs that raise awareness about population problems in cooperation with other concerned bodies. h. To help in preparing training programs for higher education students in the area by equipping them professionally and scientifically in area concerning population. i. To expand studies and awareness of population needs. j. To hold conferences and meetings and to undertake necessary research needed for these activities. 239 k. To prioritise national priorities in the population area in cooperation with other concerned bodies. l. Conclusion The need for a 25 year population strategy, it contents and goals is based upon educating girls to limit of population challenges and present, future and development expectations. 240 Labour Cluster 241 Labour strategy Introduction • No doubt that development in all sectors is based on human capabilities supported by organizations, legislations and set ups that will lead to the realization of lofty goals that form the state strategy and the expectation of its people. • Despite the efficiency of the economic policies, those plans would not alone lead to the realization of expected results unless strong coordination with able implementation tools is achieved. Lacking this, the strongest policies may collapse in addition to ensuing squandered resources and loss of effort. That is why the plan of labour and administrative reform had formulated programs based on positive joint support with all sectors to achieve the overall goals. Goals A. To uphold the values of work and its culture. B. To expand the circle of participation in economic activities and give due care to labour in the traditional sector, unorganized paid labour, small-scale- institutions, self employed, productive families, livestock owners, workers and farmers. C. To upgrade the labour force and reduce unemployment. D. To build capabilities and skills to meet labour market requirements. 242 E. To adopt equitable standards of labour, to draw measures and create affirmative conditions for a positive work environment. F. To strengthen social dialogue between all those involved in the production process in the framework of freedom of the labour organization so as to reach stable labour relations. G. To develop an information database on labour market conditions. H. To formulate and develop the role of Sudan in the area of bilateral, regional and international labour relations. The Sectors

1. First Sector: Building Capabilities and Skills A. To provide skilful labourers and highly trained labour force through expansion in the general and private vocational training centres and modernizing the vocational training syllabuses in conformity with technological progress. B. To create various ways and means to finance investment in the areas of vocational training and establishing a national financing account. C. To raise capabilities for women especially from rural areas to help increase social integration opportunities. 243

2. Second sector: Utilize Decisions and Promote the Labour Force. A. To decrease the rate of all manifestations of disguised unemployment. B. To decrease the level of unemployment among graduates, youth, women and new comers to the labour market. C. To decrease the rate of unemployment resulting from administrative changes, globalization and absorbing the affected ones in the labour market. D. To develop the consultative employment services and vocational guidance to match demand and supply in the ever changing labour market. E. To develop the external labour market and to review migrant workers’ policies in a quest to rationalize them and connecting people working outside the country with the problems and worries of the country and facilitating the returning migrants in order to merging them into the national economic activities. F. To organize and control the foreign emigrants in a way that would benefit necessary development and investment requirement and to train Sudanese in specialised skills.

3. Third sector: Work Levels and Social Dialogue A. To revise and change the labour legislation according to reasonable time period so as to accompany social and 244 economical changes at the regional and international level of work. B. Give due care to work groups in the community like women, youth, persons with special needs and to exert efforts so that they enjoy legal protection. C. To improve tripartite dialogue between social groups and develop collective bargaining operation and arbitration as to attain complete settlement in labour relation and to an work environment free of tension and full of work values and culture.

4. Forth Sector: Information and Policy Analysis A. To develop an information base from different sources including survey and administrative records so as to update quality and quantity information to ensure its comprehensiveness and its distribution to investors and individuals enabling them to make informed investment decisions in addition to initiating the geographical, professional and sectoral mobility for the labour force which would increase benefits of individuals, the community and realize the goals, aims and adopted policies. B. To provide information for the preparation of policies, monitoring, follow ups and evaluations of implementation and suggesting alternative policies C. To exchange information with bodies connected with active policies of the activation of the labour market. 245

5. Fifth Sector: External Relations. A. To activate bilateral agreements and arrangements between Sudan and organizations working on labour related problems. B. To marshal foreign technical aid from international and regional organizations and friendly countries by preparing projects, implement work plans and programmes of the Ministry of Labour and Administrative Reform. C. To prepare comparative studies on present labour laws and ILO Labour Conventions so as to determine the level of similarity between the two and to be able to apply more of these agreements. Conclusion The interest shown in the labour sector and what is prepared as goals and sectors of the Twenty-Five-Year Strategy indicates that the effort hitherto exerted is intended to increase the national wealth through improvements in production, productivity and to fight poverty and unemployment. It is also intended to reach a social set up that recognizes peace settlement and social justice through the availing the opportunity for women and men to find deferential productive work in a framework of free choice, equality, security and human dignity. 246 Public Service and Administrative Reform Cluster 247 Public Service and Administrative Reform Strategy Introduction To reminisce about the past history of the civil service represents a good motivation for reform. It is necessary to have an element present to reap positive results. On top of these elements is an acceptance of change and not to resist the labour force in addition to availability of human tools and material and human change. Also, it is highly important to define the goal of the required changes so that all efforts are geared up for the achievement of these goals. Goals A. To prepare and acquire the capable and deserving human resources in realizing the progress which the country aspires to attain. B. To determine the need of the general public service from the labour force in quantity and quality. C. To realize justice, equality and transparency in intake in general civil services among citizen selected for general jobs. D. Training efforts should be selected in accordance to the existing skills knowledge and other discerning factors. E. To achieve a unified attitude for training in order to build a unified public service culture. 248 F. To provide the actual requirements in the area of knowledge and skills. G. To meet individual needs for progress and development. H. To determine the actual role of the labour force in the civil service on scientific and objective measures. I. To create an active, efficient civil service capable of developing initiatives in addition to being able to meet the national lofty aims and committed to its endeavours and progress. Success Key Factors A. The continuous augmentation of the strategy and the general policies of the state together with statistics, information gathering and scientific analysis. B. The translation of state policies based on plans, periodical and annual programs for scientific polices and to supervise implementation and periodical evaluation. C. To react to the socioeconomic changes when revising plans and implementation methods, comprehend new approaches in improvement of structures and raising capabilities. D. To develop governing measures in respect of the state and the society undertakings in the economic and social fields in order to facilitate fulfilling its assigned role administratively, socially and legally. 249 E. To actively encourage capacity uplifting programs aimed at developing and securing national wealth. F. To reaffirm equitable values in providing essential services together with ensuring the quality of service. G. To reaffirm commitment to the conservation of the natural environment. Human Resources Strategy To employ those who are highly capable in knowledge, skills and to determine rewarding salaries commensurate with their production, continuous training to raise standards and to supply them with necessary work tools to raise their capabilities in a work environment free from intimidation, tension and conductive for high performance. The Organizational Structures Strategy To adopt an administrative structural pyramid. The top of the pyramid is concerned with the technical, planning, administrative and legislation for both regional and national, the state foreign and political area, and to conduct studies and research and periodically evaluation of implementation. The middle of the pyramid is the state pyramid which is entrusted with state affairs and complements the local planning with the national one. In the base of the pyramid we find a labour force concerned with implementing the policies with high degree of performance. 250 Salaries and Fringe Benefits Strategy To build a system of salaries/wages and incentives in a way that promotes productivity, high performance, marked added value and to achieve stability, good working conditions for the labour force in order to foster their productive ability. Furthermore to compensate them by subsidies and other fringe benefits. System and Procedures of Work Environment Strategy: To adopt system and work standards which are built in the technical and administrative operations. It is important to verify the quality of inputs and to control the operational steps undertaken by experience and learned personnel. The Legislative Strategy To enact civil service laws to enshrine rights and duties, structures and relationships that would affirm justice, equal opportunities and respect public office in addition to the recognition of excellence. The First Stage Plan This is the stage on which other stages are built. The first stage includes plans and programs as follows: A. To renew working tools of civil service through the introduction of computers in all activities and operations to build a branch information networks and national information data base for the public service on the federal level. 251 B. To strengthen the capabilities of federal training institutions and focusing on training programs on the requirements, the implementations of the strategy and to build high administrative capabilities. C. To build a comprehensive federal, state and local project to profile, classify, evaluate all jobs. D. To start the project of reorganization of all executive organs according to sound scientific methods. To start with the goal of each unit and to identify its functions and responsibilities to identify the suitable structure. E. To build new salaries scale based on objective studies and scientific basis provided that the first stage would be considered the base on which the salary scale and pension rates would revised periodically. F. To improve the work environment. G. To start a comprehensive national, state and local program for a census for those working the general civil service and to issue the annual census book. H. To adopt a program for development and excellence to measure progress achieved in the area of implementation together with competition on rewards, academic performance, quality and excellence. 252 Plans for Remaining Stages A. To review what was implemented in the first stages and to start filling the gaps and to react to economic and social change in the framework of corrective measures based on the guidelines adopted on the first phase. B. To strengthen the process of absorbing new changes and international experiments through bilateral, regional and international relations. This would be represented by regaining Sudan’s active membership in organizations concerned with administrative development and to work to acquire membership of newly incepted professional organizations concerned with administrative development. In addition, to exchange information and publications through existing facilities and electronic means. C. This stage is for consolidation what has been proven useful during the past two-stages in addition to revisit some aspects that require change or replacement according to the feedback. D. This stage is for the maintenance of what has been achieved on the past stages and to make sure that all the sectors and components of the strategy have been implemented and that it is working in the required manner. E. It is the stage of stock taking and evaluation for the strategy and to tabulate points of strength and weakness in planning and implementation of the new 253 strategy which should be considered at an earlier stage to avert any unnecessary vacuum. Conclusion The development and progress of a public civil service in the long run is both a national aspiration and a goal, which the state would faithfully and seriously endeavour to realize. In addition, the project being finished does not represent the end but on the contrary, the real work would only start when the strategy is approved. The strategy would then provide the general framework and the reference on which the reform plans and programs would be based. 254 Transport Cluster 255 Transport Strategy Firstly: Road, Sea and River Transport: Introduction: A. The vision of the Twenty-Five-Year Strategy which aspires to build a united, advance, civilized and progressive nation aspires as well to make the shift towards a new progressive life after years of neglect and deterioration. B. Cognizant of its important political, economic and social role, the Transport Sector Strategy aims at removing every obstacle that impedes it from improving the performance of its units and realizing its goals. C. The Transport Sector includes the following Units:- Railways, Ports Authority, River Transport Authority and Sudan Line Company. The Goals:

1. Integrating the units of the transport sector with other sectors to ensure the best utilization of transport means and removing bottlenecks in productive and service sectors.

2. Providing an integrated transport network with major and feeder routes in addition to linking between different transport means in a quest to link with neighbouring countries. 256

3. Utilizing untapped capacities with the view of lessening losses by rehabilitating existing units in addition to promulgating necessary laws and legislations to facilitate private sector investing in transport fields.

4. Clearing the water ways so as to render the River Nile and its tributaries navigable.

5. Rehabilitating existing ports, constructing new ports and introducing new loading and unloading machinery.

6. Rehabilitating and modernizing the river fleet and increasing its capacity, quantity and variety of its ships.

7. Building a comprehensive railway network to cover most of the country and connect to neighbouring countries.

8. Developing ports’ services to cope with international developments in the sea transport industry thus meeting the country’ requirements.

9. Increasing the number of different vessels, opening new sea routes and modernizing loading and unloading machinery.

10. Reaffirming training and rehabilitation of personnel and improving their terms of service to ensure continued efficient performance.

11. Establishing a transport specialized sectoral coordination council under the umbrella of the National Council for Strategic Planning to assist in research and 257 provide advice with regard to integration and coordination in transport sector. The Policies:

1. Increasing the efficiency of the present transport networks, develop them to realize the maximum possible benefit to meet the development plan requirement together with integrating these networks in order that the transport industry becomes a comprehensive system at the national level capable of competing internationally under international agreements.

2. Meeting foreign trade transport requirements and coordinating with internal transport through improving ports, railways and river transport networks the efficiency in a manner serving national plans.

3. Promulgating legislation and policies that enable the private sector to compete in different transport sectors. Secondly: Air Transport (Aviation) Air transport is an effective mean of communication and transport in meeting the needs of a modern economy. The state has accorded air transport the consideration it deserves. A specialized ministry composed of the Civil Aviation, Metrology and Sudan Airways (the national carrier) was established in 1995 to oversee aviation related matters in the country. The ministry’s programs and projects were part of the second phase of the National Comprehensive Strategy. It was 258 inspired by the directive therein to lay founding stones for the aviation industry in addition to proceed to prepare their long term strategy within the Twenty-Five-Year National Strategy (2007- 2011). The strategy was conceived at a time when the international community launched liberalization policies which has prompted taking a leap to upgrade and develop the industry in a quest to catch the technological development in aviation and related fields. The Goal: The goal is to upgrade the air transport industry and services to realize its objectives in linking the Sudan internally and externally benefiting from the modern technology. The Objectives:

1. Constructing Khartoum International Airport by inviting international bids to attract financing and capable foreign companies.

2. Continue to establish and construct airports and air strips in all states and in particular borders-strategic airport together with continuing rehabilitation projects.

3. Focusing on linking and integrating different means of transport particularly sea and air due to their important role in development. Also making a transit corridor to neighbouring countries through Port Sudan. 259

4. Building the capacities of the national carrier to implement and support a fleet enhancement program and services so as to cope with passenger and cargo transport requirements.

5. Enhancing runways, airstrips, handling, developing equipment and machinery. In addition constructing stores and different export storage at all international airports.

6.Activating regional and international aviation agreements to benefit from regional alliance opportunities, technical support, training, exchange of experiences, coping with globalization and the technical development in the field of aviation and equitable traffic rights.

7.Providing lighting to runways, fire equipment, rescue, protection, secured enclosures and safety measures by modernizing navigation, air safety and communication equipment.

8. Localizing aviation technology by rehabilitating the National Aviation Academy, supporting the Sudan Airways training centre and continuing on technical practical training.

9.Continuing the metrology development programmes, benefiting from the regional and international organizations funding and technical assistance by introducing developed technologies and technical personnel training. 260 The Policies:

1. Constructing states’ airports and air strips in accordance with international standards.

2. Ensuring air traffic safety, monitoring entry to, exit of and transiting of foreign aircrafts the Sudanese air- space.

3. Undertaking metrological forecast preparation and dissemination information thereof.

4.Providing climatic information and data in coordination with relevant bodies.

5.Granting licenses, overseeing the performance of private companies working in the aviation and metrological fields.

6.Undertaking research and studies in the field of aviation in cooperation and coordination with scientific institutions, universities and higher institutes.

7.Developing bilateral, regional and international external relations.

8.Training and rehabilitating required personnel. 261 Roads and Bridges Cluster 262 Roads and Bridges Strategy Introductions: The construction of a network of roads and bridges is considered to be one of the basic requirements which preceded the implementation of any development project. This is because of the numerous changes and progress caused which would in effect be reflected in all fields, economical, social and cultural. The construction of roads and bridges connects production areas with markets. In addition, it helps in the creation of a development pull factor and facilitates physical development thereby creating wealth, creating new jobs and lessening distances, time and helps in the transfer of culture and realizes social changes. The Sudan has a vast area, estimated to be around 2.5 million square kilometres and possesses great natural wealth, a unique geographical nature, fertile land in addition to a small population scattered all over Sudan. A country like this is in need in first place for a network of good roads connecting its different parts and to shorten distances, linking production areas with markets and be an important factor in building a unified civilized, secure, progressive and civilized nation. The Goal To develop the roads industry in the country through improving the present roads networks through rehabilitation, maintenance and to construct new roads, feeder roads and bridges in accordance with national strategies and plans aiming at linking the states and the development projects with new roads and to expand the network to link the Sudan with neighbouring countries taking into consideration sound planning, efficiency and excellence in implementation so as to realize security and the welfare of citizen. 263 Comprehensive Goals 1- To develop the present roads network to connect states, and national projects and to reach neighbouring countries. To construct bridges crossing the Nile and its major tributaries in production and densely populated areas and that the length of this network of the national roads should be 3000 kilometres by the end of year 2031. 2- To continue completing roads under construction. 3- To continue in the maintenance and rehabilitation of constructed roads 4- To prepare economic feasibility studies and construction designs for the construction of new roads and bridges. Policies 1- To adopt stage by stage development system when implementing projects so that work would start with the top priority and cascade to roads with lower priority. 2- To develop the level of performance of road transportation by implementing scientific and specialized programs in accordance with the state policy to raise the capability of the productive units. 3- Removing transport bottle necks in the different productive and service sectors and facilitate passenger and goods transport. 4- To help in moving the stagnant Sudan economy and expanding its base by encouraging production in different 264 sectors and investment in the construction of roads using BOT systems. 5- To decrease the cost of transportation and encouraging economies of scale in the transport sector with the intention of decreasing the overall cost for production and enabling Sudan’s exports to compete internationally. 6- To meet the requirement of globalization in the transport sector by introducing multi-model transport systems. 7- To promote road industries and to encourage the establishment of national companies to work in the area of roads. 8- To construct new roads and bridges to connect production areas with markets and export ports and continuously rehabilitate the existing national roads to make it safe for traffic and users. 9- To cooperate with research centres, universities and scientific institutes in developing Sudan’s road construction industry and instigate safety measures and make use of local available materials in construction so to help lower costs. 265 Communications Cluster 266 Communications strategy Introductions Communication plays an important role in economic and social development. Communication technology is considered to be one of the strongest tools to effect change beside infrastructure thereby achieving development in the different sectors. In a large country the role of communication will continue to be extremely significant in strengthening development and galvanizing national unity. As the Communication Authority is not yet fully operative, it did not contribute in drawing the Strategy. The objective of the plan The communication plan during the strategy period (2007- 2031) aims at developing communication services and to decrease the communication gap in the country. The Sudan should plan to assume a regional role in communications through continuous work to reach the deserved goals by realizing the following aims:

1. To develop communication in the country and to follow technological progress.

2. To spread different types of communication services over the entire country with a high degree of dependability and at reasonable prices.

3. To encourage investment in all fields and to encourage fair competition. 267

4. Installing a landline telephone for every five persons. The Goals of the Five Phases The First Phase To achieve the goals of the phase, the National Communication Corporation has laid down regulations to govern communication services undertakings and the goals intended to be achieved which are:-

1. To prepare an environment conducive to investment.

2. The continuous training of personnel.

3. To gain experience and follow up technological development.

4. To spread a culture of communication

5. To modernize the oversight institutions.

6. Spreading telephone services to reach a telephone for every 30 persons and to introduce mobile communication in the rural areas with a targeted 75% coverage.

7. To increase the capacity of telecommunications servers to receive external activities and to connect neighbouring countries with the Arab world and to activate electronic trade. 268 The Second Phase The goals of this phase are based on the goals of the previous phase 1- To continue capacity-building. 2- To gain experience and continue modernization. 3- To create relations with regional and international organizations. 4- To develop landlines and mobile services. 5- To increase the percentage of telephones in accordance to population increase to reach a telephone for every 20 persons. 6- To introduce moving communication to rural area and to raise the percentage of the moving telephone to a telephone for every 50 persons. 7- To activate communication for the benefit of society economically and socially. 8- Undertake a feasibility study for the Sudanese satellite project. 9- To activate electronic trade. The Third Phase To expand the NCC activities in modernizing and developing communication services and the objectives of this phase would be: 269

1. To develop human resources through continuous training

2. To expand external relations.

3. To connect neighbouring countries and electronic trade.

4. To connect Africa with the Arab world

5. To modernize and develop monitoring tools and utilize them for the purpose of national security.

6. To reform and revise investment laws in order to align them with new development in the area of communication and to create a healthy competitive climate.

7. To raise the percentage of landline telephones for every 16 persons and mobile telephone for every 30 persons.

8. To raise the percentage of stable telephone to a telephone for each 15 persons and mobile telephones to a telephone for each 30 persons. The Fourth Phase In this stage the NCC would revise all previous phased plans to achieve the goals of this phase:

1. To complete all projects related to previous phases which were not realized for one reason or another.

2. To continue in the development of human resources.

3. To absorb developed technology by acquiring modern equipment. 270

4. To increase external outlets and to modernize them.

5. To spread communication services; a telephone for every 5 persons.

6. To encourage investment according to governing norms.

7. To transfer international experience and technology to the Sudan.

8. To disseminate a communication culture. The Fifth Phase In this phase, the NCC would have been prepared to achieve the objectives of this phase according to the following:

1. The completion of capacity building of the capabilities of the human cadre and will be ready to enter into the half century stage

2. The completion of an established base and modern systems to compete in the investment field.

3. The complete connection of the African with the Arab world.

4. To spread of satellites services.

5. The spread of mobile communications.

6. To contribute towards technological development of neighbouring countries. 271 Policies The NCC shall follow all state directives, legislations and laws in all fields and especially in the communication field. The corporation would draw its policies to achieve the strategy goals by building a strong communication service regionally in addition to preposition required equipment, attain enough operational know- how and undertake legislative reforms to upgrade performance together with drawing policies to a realize the objective of the plan during the strategy time frame. Conclusion In light of the state general directives in the field of communication, the NCC has prepared this plan which we hope to implement in five-phases thereby reaching the main goal which is to make the Sudan attractive in communication in terms of investment and technological development. The NCC also hopes to develop the laws in a way that will allow competition free from hegemony and monopoly. 272 Post and Telegraph Cluster 273 Post and Telegraph Strategy The postal service has a role in economic, social and cultural development activities. To improve and enhance postal services, it is important to seek the benefits of the development hitherto achieved in the field of communication and expansion in the roads network. Goals 1- To reorganize and create competition in postal services. 2- To expand the postal network. 3- To improve the quality of service. 4- To expand the use of communication and information methods. 5- To mechanize post services. 6- To improve the work environment in post offices. 7- To raise the capabilities of staff by training them in ICT. 8- To introduce new services. 9- To provide necessary distribution and transportation facilities. 274 Policies 1- To abolish monopolistic control. 2- To privatization of Post and Telegraph Services. 3- To encourage the private sector in expanding the service. 4- To expand the use of the of communication and information methods. 5- To mechanize postal services 6- To improve the work environment in post offices (to change the lay-out of post offices) 7- To raise the capability of staff by training in the use of computer services. 8- To introduce new services. 9- To provide necessary means a transportation and distribution. Please note that the GOALS were repeated as POLICIES 275 Environment and Physical Development Cluster 276 Environment and Physical Development Strategy Continuous socioeconomic development should achieve the balance between community requirements and environmental norms in its renewable and non-renewable elements. Physical development, be it in the area of urban or rural planning in population needs is closely related to environmental activities. Goals 1- To participate with concerned authorities in capacity building in the field of environment and physical development so as to realize the goals of the comprehensive development strategy. 2- To incorporate legislations and international agreement in the area of the environment and human settlements fields in national development programs. 3- To enable institutional bodies to lead and coordinate environmental and physical development activities in the Sudan. 4- To estimate Sudanese needs so as to be able to preserve biodiversity and encourage the community to assume its role in respect of supporting and conserving the environment. 5- To develop the organizational structure to manage the environment and make it suitable and capable to adjust to negative impact of climate change phenomenon. 6- To strengthen human capabilities and develop administrative systems. 277 7- To decrease harmful materials affecting the ozone layer in the field of industry. 8- To build local observatories in the state capitals and to connect them regionally and internationally. 9- To develop and improve human settlements’ environments. 10- To build an information base for physical and urban development. 11- To improve conditions in Sudanese cities to reach the level of the regional and international cities. 12- To divide the sectors of the physical planning and housing in the framework of the comprehensive strategy 13- To strengthen bilateral relations between the ministry and its counterparts institutions, local, regional and international organizations and professional and scientific societies. 14- To make the geographical names original, adopt a spelling glossary and to keep national names. 15- To evaluate land use within the comprehensive strategy. 16- To activate laws and regulations. 17- To activate land directives in the states. 18- To build a database for land information. 19- To develop a professional cadre 278 20- To prepare topographic geographical maps with different scales featuring borders, oil areas, major development projects, states’ capitals, and major cities and establish constituent survey signs across the country. Policies 1- To make use as far as possible of computers, electronic networks, satellites and digital mechanisms in collecting information about Sudan. 2- To provide the necessary information about land to meet the planning investment security and other needs. 3- To determine directions and progress in all sectors and activities through producing special and specialized maps. 4- To draw Sudan’s international boundaries and to draw the state boundaries in Sudan. 5- To rehabilitate and use all available human resources and equipment to serve the goals of the ministry. 6- To coordinate with authorized bodies with aim of distributing and optimizing consumption of available natural resources and preserving the environment. 7- To connect environmental problems with physical development. 8- To coordinate with concerned authorities in investment in the fields of industrial, agricultural and physical construction and to observe environmental requirements when projects are implemented. 279 9- To attract financiers and donors for development and environmental purposes. 10- To adopt criteria and standards on spelling and translating geographical names. 11- To employ information to raise the national awareness regarding environmental and physical development issues. 12- To include environmental issues in education syllabuses 13- To develop legislation on the environment and physical development. 280