Bangkok (SUNA) – On the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group in Bangkok, Finance Minister Dr. Gebreil Ibrahim met with African Development Bank Group President Dr. Sidi Ould Tah to discuss ways to expand development and technical financing opportunities for Sudan and strengthen their partnership in supporting productive sectors and economic priorities, thereby contributing to recovery and reconstruction. The meeting addressed increasing financing allocated to Sudanese projects and making use of financing facilities available to fragile states, alongside expanding access to financing for energy and climate-related projects. The two sides also discussed prospects for cooperation in environmental protection and the green economy, as well as greater use of available financing mechanisms to support sustainable projects and strengthen resilience to climate challenges. The finance minister emphasised the importance of supporting Sudan’s access to the Mission 300 initiative, led by the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank Group, which aims to expand access to electricity across Africa by 2030. The initiative would help strengthen energy supplies and boost production and investment. The two sides also discussed challenges facing the winter agricultural season amid low rainfall, stressing the importance of drawing on technical assessments and reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to evaluate risks and identify the interventions needed to support agricultural production and food security. As part of efforts to reform public financial management, the meeting discussed technical assistance for developing a Treasury Single Account system, in coordination with the Islamic Development Bank and the IMF’s Middle East Technical Assistance Center (METAC). The discussions also covered the completion of procedures for Sudan’s contribution of US$15 million to the African Trade and Investment Insurance Agency, which would strengthen the country’s ability to benefit from the agency’s services in supporting trade and investment. In the area of inclusive finance, the possibility of benefiting from the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative was raised, with the aim of improving women entrepreneurs’ access to financing and expanding growth opportunities for women-led businesses. The meeting underscored the importance of continued coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the African Development Bank Group to identify available financing and technical assistance opportunities and direct them towards national priorities, thereby boosting production and investment and supporting Sudan’s economic development.BH/BH