The African Development Bank Group (the Bank) has resumed full presence in Sudan, after working virtually for two years.
This follows a two-day Country Portfolio Performance Review held on 29-30 April 2026 in Port Sudan, the first in-person meeting since the onset of the country's civil war exactly three years ago this month.
The Review meeting has reasserted the Bank role as a pivotal institution in the country's development, leveraging its comparative advantage in agriculture, health, skills development, and water and sanitation to sustain development programs in fragile situations.
"The Country Portfolio Performance Review is a periodic exercise undertaken jointly by the Bank and the government to assess the quality and performance of the Bank's portfolio, draw lessons from implementation experience, and agree on necessary actions to address weaknesses hindering project implementation," said David Muthusi Mutuku, the Bank's Country Manager.
"The importance of this year's workshop was further strengthened by the participation of United Nations agencies and other international organizations in Sudan."
The Director General for Foreign Finance in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Ekhlass Mohammed Ali, represented the Government of Sudan at the Review.
She described the meeting as "an important milestone" in strengthening the strategic partnership between the government and the Bank, to improve vital sectors such as agriculture, water and sanitation, health, and social infrastructure.
She noted the exceptional circumstances facing Sudan and underscored the importance of development partners in supporting economic recovery, rebuilding institutions, and strengthening community resilience. "In this context, the African Development Bank Group remains a key partner in supporting Sudan's development priorities," Ali said.
Participants identified key challenges which have continued to affect project implementation. These include volatile costs which affect budgets, security risks staffing shortages, power supply disruptions and access restrictions to project sites. They also agreed to strenghthen monitoring and reporting on environmental and social safeguards. Mutuku stressed the importance of managing fiduciary risks and improving efficiency amid security constraints and rising costs. He called on partners to strengthen collaboration by sharing expertise to achieve economies of scale. "Each one of you plays a crucial role in ensuring the partnership between the Bank, the government, and all the people of Sudan, remains strong and effective," he said.
Due to the current political instability, the Bank delivers projects in Sudan through third-party implementing arrangements with UN agencies and international organisations, including the World Food Programme, International Organization for Migration, the World Health Organization and International Committee of the Red Cross. Starting this year, other partnerships have been established with UNICEF, UNDP and UNFPA. Implementing partners called for more frequent coordination meetings to enhance collaboration, share lessons, and identify opportunities to scale successful interventions.
The portfolio review will culminate in the 2026-2028 Country Portfolio Improvement Plan, outlining concrete measures to address bottlenecks, accelerate disbursement, and improve development impact. This strategic roadmap will be presented to the Bank's Board Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) for approval.
The Bank's interventions in Sudan are guided by the Sudan Country Brief 2017-2024 Update (extended to December 2026) which prioritises two key areas: capacity building for improved social service delivery and agriculture for job creation and livelihoods.
As of 5 May 2026, the active portfolio in Sudan comprises 17 ongoing projects, valued at $833 million, across agriculture, health, water and sanitation, and social infrastructure. Further projects and interventions are planned for approval in 2026.
Sudan remains one of the Bank's largest fragile situation portfolios, reflecting its strategic importance for regional stability and trade in the Horn of Africa.
