By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, October 4 -- Just before Sudan spoke last Saturday at the UN General Debate, the IMF "encouraged the authorities to step up their dialogue with creditors and donors to garner support for debt relief." Sudan's arrears to the IMF itself are part of the problem.
Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti in his September 29 speech called for debt relief. At the IMF's next media briefing on October 4, Inner City Press asked two questions on Sudan:
"In the UN General Debate, Sudan's Foreign Minister Ali Karti said the country's debts should be forgiven. Any response? Do Sudan's and South Sudan's agreements last week in Addis Ababa have any impact on IMF analysis of or programs in either country? Any IMF comment on the agreements?"
IMF spokesman Gerry Rice took these as the penultimate question during the embargoed briefing, replying that
"The Fund welcomes the agreement on oil related and other issues between the two countries. We look forward to its implementation and to the resolution of other bilateral issues. The Fund stands ready to continue supporting both countries going forward."
But what support does the IMF give to Sudan? What about Ali Karti's call for debt relief?
Thursday in the UN Security Council, one of the "unresolved bilateral issues," Abyei, was to be discussed. Watch this site.
