The war, now entering its 33rd month, has pushed half of Sudan’s population into unemployment. This follows the closure of factories and markets, the cessation of trade between cities, and the halting of agricultural activities and artisanal workshops. Furthermore, 80% of daily labor activities across several regions in all states have ground to a halt.
Since April 2023, hundreds of thousands of Sudanese have found themselves among the ranks of the unemployed and the poor. They face a grim and unknown fate due to the suspension of their businesses and daily incomes following the massive destruction, looting, and sabotage of markets, factories, and workshops in industrial zones. This is in addition to the damage suffered by public and private sector companies and banks. Hundreds of families have lost approximately 100,000 jobs, including various labor categories.
According to official reports and International Monetary Fund (IMF) data, growing unemployment rates in Sudan have reached 47%, accompanied by a significant deterioration in currency value and rising inflation since the outbreak of war. Youth make up 42% of the Sudanese population, 85% of whom are currently unemployed.
Poverty and Frustration
Hatem Khalafallah, a private sector employee, stated: “The continuation of the war has contributed significantly to rising unemployment. In the absence of a solution to stop the armed conflict, millions of Sudanese have become victims of a complex reality and an unknown fate. Their dreams and the hopes of their families have been scattered; they have fallen into pits of poverty, and frustration has overtaken the majority.”
He added: “Days and months pass without anything new due to the lack of job opportunities, as well as the significant economic decline, high inflation, and a limited government budget unable to create jobs.” Khalafallah explained that “the livelihoods of employees and workers are tied to their jobs; consequently, the repercussions of the armed conflict have displaced millions of technicians and workers without any commitment from factory and company owners. Some institutions suspended their staff in the early months of the war, driving unemployment rates above 50% within Sudan.”
Unemployment and Neglect
Saddam Jumaa, a mechanic who worked in the Khartoum Industrial Zone, said: “Our work stopped after all industrial zones were damaged and looted. Our workshops and equipment were destroyed, and we know nothing about them to this day. Even those who tried to gather some equipment to work in safe areas were hindered by the scarcity of electricity resulting from drone strikes.”
Jumaa clarified that “the war has contributed to high unemployment among craftsmen, who are now looking for any work to face the difficult conditions they are undergoing, at a time when no entity has provided even the minimum level of support. The greatest role in aid has come from relatives, friends, and family.”
He continued: “Most of us do not have the capital necessary to establish a new business, while official authorities have been completely absent. We haven’t heard of any initiatives to absorb or support these craftsmen, and no official has shown interest in utilizing or helping them.”
A Painful Reality
Samah Ishaq, a young woman in her early thirties, expressed the “feeling of despair among all the unemployed, especially after the rise in unemployment rates due to the ongoing war and the cessation of industrial and commercial activities.”
She noted that she has “struggled through a difficult life since being laid off in May 2024,” and hopes the armed conflict will end soon so she can return to her normal life or at least know her fate regarding her employment.
Ishaq warned that the current situation for youth in Sudan “doubles poverty rates, leads to dangerous risks, and contributes to the spread of crime and drug use as an escape from this painful reality.”
Worsening Conditions
The Coordination of Professionals and Trade Unions in Sudan stated that “the expansion of the war has worsened conditions, leading to job losses reaching 67% in both the public and private sectors due to the destruction of institutions and displacement.”
The Coordination pointed out that “the living conditions of 90% of workers have become critical due to leaving their jobs, while the number of those who lost their positions in both sectors reached 2 million out of a total of 3 million people.”
It further confirmed that “about 35% of workers suffer from chronic diseases and 98% of them have found no medical assistance; 72% of workers in the private and government sectors have no social insurance, and 90% of workers are in irregular occupations.”
Great Challenges
Economic specialist Ibrahim Saleh explained that “unemployment poses a major challenge to the state because it is primarily concentrated among youth of both genders, the productive age group. The lack of plans and productive projects has contributed to rising poverty rates.”
Saleh noted that “the war played a major role in deepening the crisis by destroying productive sectors, halting thousands of facilities, and displacing workers from economic activity zones.” He added, “Focus must be placed on sectors capable of absorbing large numbers of employees and craftsmen, such as industry, agriculture, and production-related services.”
Government Efforts
Regarding state efforts to solve the unemployment crisis, the Sudanese Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Moatasem Ahmed Saleh, said: “The war left a wide wave of job losses… field estimates indicate that the unemployment rate exceeded 45% in some states affected by the conflict.”
He pointed out that his ministry has begun implementing a “realistic recovery plan” targeting the creation of direct and indirect job opportunities through three tracks. These include a youth employment program for 150 projects in infrastructure, reconstruction, and public services, as well as an initiative to fund 250,000 productive projects. Additionally, there is a plan to train 80,000 trainees in 2026 in modern professional and technical fields to meet labor market needs.
Saleh noted that “the poverty rate rose from 21% to 71% as a result of weak state revenues and increased government spending to meet war needs and the suspension of economic activities.”
Repercussions of the Crisis
Social researcher Ebtehal Sharafi said: “Unemployment is a major dilemma… instead of investing the vital energy of youth, difficult circumstances turn it into dangerous behaviors. Therefore, negative phenomena are spreading rapidly, such as drug use. Economically, the lack of production leads to a failure to provide for personal requirements, placing pressure on the family. An unemployed youth often feels inferior, leading to total isolation and depression.”
Sharafi expects “unemployment to reach new record levels, especially if the war continues… it is directly linked to rising poverty and falling living standards, and the repercussions will extend to violence, delinquency, crime, and theft.”
The researcher believes the problem requires a “collaborative effort” and contributions to providing jobs, particularly in the private sector, given the state’s diminished ability to hire as it is “drowned in spending priorities related to the heavy bill of the war.”
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