*By Ahmed Swar
Ancient civilizations emerged in Sudan, the largest of which was the Afro-Sudanese civilization of Kush, which thrived from 300 BC to 300 AD. This was followed by Christian civilizations in Karma and Meroë and Islamic civilizations in Sennar and Darfur, largely due to the country’s geopolitical location. The great Nile River played a crucial role in the prosperity of these civilizations, along with its abundant resources, especially gold, which remained the primary goal for all aspiring conquerors and the main draw for colonizers. Mohammed Ali Pasha aimed to invade Sudan in 1821 to obtain gold from the Bani Shangul mountains in the Blue Nile region, and human beings themselves were considered valuable resources due to their skills and talents.
Sudan soon became a hub for trade between North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, directing commerce north toward Egypt and Hejaz. The country features vast areas and plains in the Center and West, providing fertile ground for cattle ranching, as the majority of the population adopted pastoralism. This led to record numbers of livestock, surpassing 200 million heads dependent on natural pastures. The country also benefits from climatic conditions that favor agriculture. British authorities who colonized Sudan a century and a half ago established the most significant agricultural project for cotton production, covering an area of one million acres with a simplified irrigation system. They also developed a network of roads and railways for transporting cotton, which sparked a massive industrial and global revolution.
Since the discovery of oil in the late 1970s by the American company Chevron in the South and West of the country, the influence of the United States and competition with the West and China— which was already involved in oil production and built the longest transmission line at 1,600 km— intensified. This followed the consortium of China, Malaysia, Canada, and India managing to operate and produce oil. As a result, the internal conflicts in Sudan between the South and North escalated, leading the South to choose separation from the North in 2011 after the peace agreement signed in Naivasha, Kenya, in 2005.
However, Sudan’s non-oil resources can contribute to its economic position, as it is the largest African country with arable land and is recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the world’s breadbasket. Sudan can serve as an incubator for agricultural investments in the region due to the availability of suitable climates for producing most grains, particularly wheat and oilseeds, complemented by livestock production. Sudan can represent a new addition in the field of renewable energy with its agricultural production, which can add value to the production of biofuels that help reduce thermal emissions and constitute clean energy in the industrial sector. Sudan has significant experience in sugar and ethanol production, with good cooperation with its friends in Brazil.
The recent victories of the national army in Sudan represent a light at the end of a dark tunnel, and a great promise has begun to materialize, which leaves us optimistic about a bright future for this country. Its people have suffered greatly, but like gold, they become brighter and stronger through these trials and tribulations.
The phase of rebuilding the country’s infrastructure—bridges, roads, factories, trains, and markets—requires swift action. So we invite Brazilian investors to secure their spots and utilize their knowledge and capabilities to enter this promising market. Sudan also looks forward to benefiting from Brazilian expertise in agricultural technology, livestock production, the growth of slaughterhouses, and grain production.
Sudan also estimates that Brazil’s experience has high comparative advantages that align with the characteristics of the Sudanese economy. The most significant obstacles related to trade have been removed after the United States ended its unfair sanctions against Sudan, particularly regarding monetary transactions between banks. Therefore, we hope to enhance connectivity rates between the two countries in other sectors in the future.
*Ambassador Ahmed Swar is the chargé d’affaires at the Sudanese Embassy in Brasília
The opinions expressed in the articles are the responsibility of the authors.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
