KHARTOUM: Sudan plans to lift more fuel and wheat subsidies to bridge a budget gap, a senior ruling party official said in remarks published on Sunday, a move that in the past ignited anti-government protests.
Sudan has been struggling with an economic crisis since losing much of its oil reserves the main source for revenues and dollars needed for imports when South Sudan became independent in 2011.
The government started lifting some fuel subsidies as part of austerity measures worth 7 billion pounds ($900 million) in July 2012, leading to several weeks of protests.
The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) agreed with the other government coalition partners on Saturday night to lift more subsidies for fuel and also wheat, said Hassan Ahmed Taha, the NCP's economic secretary, according to al-Sahafa newspaper.
"The Sudanese economy is facing many challenges," he said.