Castalia advises Sudan’s PPP Unit

The World Bank Group and the Government of Sudan launched Sudan’s first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative on January 22, 2017. Through a grant from the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), the PPP Support Program aims to strengthen the policy and regulatory environment for PPPs in Sudan.

The World Bank Group and the Government of Sudan launched Sudan’s first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative on January 22, 2017. Through a grant from the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), the PPP Support Program aims to strengthen the policy and regulatory environment for PPPs in Sudan.

This new initiative is the result of intensive discussions between the World Bank Group and the Government of Sudan, which began with a request from Sudan’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in 2015. This one-year technical assistance program will be implemented by the World Bank with support from Castalia Advisors, an international consulting firm.

“We are excited to be working with the Government of Sudan and the PPP Unit within the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, with the support of the World Bank Group and PPIAF, to design a new PPP policy and strategy for Sudan,” said Andrew Sprott, Castalia Lead Advisor. “While we are aware of the challenges facing the country, we believe that there is a great opportunity to develop a policy that fits the particular Sudanese context that will help the Government and private sector develop real, impactful, and successful projects,” he further stressed.

Decades of conflict, civil war, and sanctions, coupled with the secession of South Sudan, have had a profound effect on the country’s economy and infrastructure. As Sudan attempts to emerge from conflict, it continues to navigate the aftermath of multiple economic shocks with reduced international donor financing. The Government has thus given urgency to rebuilding the country through reforming the investment climate and partnering with the private sector. With a focus on capacity building and policy reform, the program builds on government priorities as stipulated in the National Strategic Plan, the five-year Economic Reform Program, and the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.

“This initiative comes at a critically important moment for Sudan,” said Xavier Furtado, World Bank Group Country Representative to Sudan. “Following the U.S. Government’s January 13 announcement concerning the sanctions, we hope this program will help prepare Sudan to take full advantage of new opportunities that may now be on the horizon. The World Bank Group looks forward to working with Sudan’s authorities to strengthen sustainable private sector-led growth and job creation,” he added.

Linking to a number of key sectors, such as agriculture and agribusiness, the PPP Support Program is important to achieving further progress on PPPs in Sudan, providing opportunities for synergies and collaboration with a range of international development partners.

The initiative is a part of the World Bank Group’s growing portfolio of technical assistance in Sudan, which includes a focus on strengthening Sudan’s investment climate and agribusiness.