Abstract:
The overall objective of this study is to evaluate the socio-economic
impacts of Structural Adjustment Program (SAPs) in Sudan and the problems
that faced its implementation. The study hypothesized that (SAPs) will not
decrease inflation, foreign debt or poverty. However, the assessment of the
effects of (SAPs) on Sudan economy is a challenging task because there are
many outside factors that has affected the outcomes of the program. To
overcome the limitations posed by these outside factors the study used the
descriptive statistic approach and quantitative data i.e. figures and tables and
employed qualitative methods to analyze and interpret the data that has been
gathered, the findings of the study indicates:-
1- The timing of the implementation of (SAPs) was not significant because
the civil war undermined the success of the program through its effects on
the fiscal and the monetary policy.
2- The successes of (SAPs) require a well-structured economy but Sudan
economic structure is a colonial heritage which is unstructured and weak.
3- (SAPs) focus on economic growth and leave out social development, and
lack income distribution mechanism, therefore it is an incomplete
economic strategy
4- The IMF macro- economic policies and the WB structural policies are not
integrated; The IMF policies have negative effects on the WB policies.
5- Institutions and governance that facilitate market economy are weak in
Sudan and therefore resulted in decreasing the effectiveness of the
program. In fact Sudan is held back more by civil war, economic
mismanagement and weak economic structure than by lack of human or
natural resources.Therefore, thestudy recommends that the success of the
program requires achieving peace and security which is necessary for the
success of the program and the existence of a stable society which is ready
for sustainable development. Since Sudan is an agricultural country (SAPs)
should give theagricultural sector the importance that it deserves so as to
alter the weak economic structure bydiversifying the economy through the
agricultural sector by moving of the resources from law value commodity
production to high value commodity production by focusing on
horticulture, diary, poultry and fisheries so as to respond to the high
demand for these products nationally and internationally i.e.to produce for
self-sufficiency to save hard currency and to produce for export to earn
hard currency that is necessary for paying off foreign debt control inflation
and reduce poverty.
