Sudan Ranks 4th With Most Repressed Economy in the World

Sudan has ranked 173rd globally out of 176 countries on the 2023 Index of Economic Freedom by The Heritage Foundation, an American conservative think tank.

The index divides the rankings into six categories with different scores: Free (100-80), Mostly Free (79.9.9-70), Moderately Free (79.9.9-70), Mostly Unfree (59.9-50), Repressed (49.9-0) and Not Ranked.

Sudan is under the “Repressed” category, scoring 32.8, making its economy the 173rd freest in the 2023 Index. Sudan is ranked 47th among 47 countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, and its overall score is well below the regional and world averages. South Sudan has not been ranked or included in the 2023 Index of Economic Freedom.

Each country that is ranked on the index has a country profile with further details on the following: Rule of Law, Government Size, Regulatory Efficiency and Open Markets.

In Sudan’s country profile, The Heritage Foundation stated, ‘the large informal economy has been an important source of employment. Outside of the hydrocarbon sector, economic development is limited by the region’s political instability. Attempts to develop and diversify the economy are constrained by a lack of institutional capacity. Rampant corruption and insufficient respect for private property rights are serious impediments to long-term development of the private sector’.

‘Military regimes have dominated Sudanese politics since independence from Anglo–Egyptian rule in 1956. In 2019, the security services ousted longtime Islamist dictator Omar Al Bashir. In 2021, security service elements of the transitional government launched a coup. In July 2022, facing brutally suppressed popular protests, the security services announced that they would allow the civilian political movement to form its own government. Oil has driven much of Sudan’s GDP growth, but the secession of South Sudan cost Sudan two-thirds of its oil revenue. Approximately half of the population is at or below the poverty line and dependent on subsistence agriculture,’ The Heritage Foundation continued to state.

‘The overall rule of law is weak in Sudan. The country’s property rights score is below the world average; its judicial effectiveness score is below the world average; and its government integrity score is below the world average,’ stated The Heritage Foundation.

In addition to Sudan, the countries with the most repressed economies include Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea – which is the country with the most repressed economy in the world.

Topping the 2023 Index of Economic Freedom is Singapore, followed by Switzerland, Ireland and Taiwan.

Founded in 1973 and based in Washington, DC, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institution whose mission is to build and promote public policy research and analysis based on free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

To see the 2023 Index of Economic Freedom, visit www.heritage.org/index/ranking. To see Sudan’s profile, visit www.heritage.org/index/country/sudan.

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