The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sudan in partnership with the University of Khartoum launched  today the global Human Development Report at Khartoum University.

The topic of this year’s  report“ Beyond Income, Beyond Averages, and Beyond Today” was widely received by many academics, development practitioners, civil society representatives, media and government officials who attended the launching ceremony.

The report’s findings recognizes that inequality weakens social cohesion damaging people’s trust in governments and institutions and it is sometimes inevitable however, it tables analysis, ideas and policy options to help tackle its root causes.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development Mr. Mohamed ElShabik remarked that “The report  focuses on how to improve human development outcomes – by, addressing the root causes of the obstacles  faced, and by proposing innovative ways to surmount these challenges. I really believe that partnerships such as the one we are witnessing here today between the Ministry , the UNDP and the University of Khartoum will help push forward the development agenda in Sudan.”

UNDP Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran further stated that “Despite unprecedented progress against poverty, hunger and disease, systemic inequality affects the chances of millions of human beings for leading a fulfilling life. Unless systemic processes that create and perpetuate socio-economic, political and environmental inequality are reversed, democratic norms risk being undermined as politics is increasingly controlled by concentrated oligarchies. Such a future would not be conducive to the success of the Sudanese transition to democracy and peace.“

Read the Arabic report via this link, and also the English version here.