改善营商环境的努力
导读：我们正在通过给予投资者更多的优惠条件，构建有利于他们的营商环境，例如在农业、石油和黄金开采领域。
● 鼓励到边远地区投资
●重点关注农业投资
●解禁后投资进展
● 感谢来自中国的投资
2017年10月，美国国务院发表声明，宣布解除对苏丹长达20年的经济制裁。制裁令废止后，苏丹的经济是否进入快速发展期？苏丹将在哪些领域重点吸引外资？投资环境将有哪些变化？
带着这些问题，2018年7月，应苏丹驻华使馆邀请，《中国投资》杂志派记者远赴苏丹，在位于首都喀土穆的苏丹投资部，采访了苏丹国务部长乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣博士（Dr. Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim）。
鼓励到边远地区投资
《中国投资》：走进苏丹进行全面报道，我们的目的是给中国的投资者提供一个了解苏丹的机会。投资部是外商投资企业进入苏丹的大门，是他们打交道的第一个政府部门，因为无论他们投资哪个领域，比如农业、工业、石油或采矿业，他们都需要在这里获得投资许可证？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：欢迎你们！我们的确与中国保持着长久友好的关系。苏丹非常感谢中国对苏丹的投资。中国在苏丹的国有和私营部门都有投资项目，主要涉及石油和采矿行业。这些都属于战略投资，对我们来说非常重要，所以说，中国确实是我们最好的朋友。投资部的工作就是协调与各部委之间的关系，在促进私营和公共部门的所有投资项目方面发挥作用。我们也负责解决农业、采矿和工业领域的经济问题。投资部负责颁发允许公司经营商业活动的许可证。在签发许可证前我们要经过长期的核实，与各部委沟通，并进行可行性研究。比方说，如果某个项目与教育或产业有关，我们就会让项目公司与有关部委充分沟通。我们还要对该项目进行技术核准，确保它的确符合苏丹的需要。在此过程中，为了确保该公司或投资者能在苏丹投资，我们也会做给予他们一些优惠条件。因此，如果项目涉及农业，我们不收取任何税费；如果项目属于工业领域，我们只收取10%的税；如果项目针对的是服务业，我们也仅收取15%的税。我们还有其他的激励措施，比如对于所有进口设备都免关税，即使在项目已经开始实施后，投资公司仍可以在免关税的优惠条件下进口更多的设备。另一个优惠条件是针对边远地区的，因为我们鼓励投资者在那些地区进行投资。相较于在首都喀土穆投资的公司，对有意向在边远地区投资的公司我们会予以特殊考虑，并提供更优厚的待遇。
企业需要在这里办理投资许可证。投资部是企业接触的第一个政府机构，而且所有的手续都将在这里办理完成。为了方便投资者，我们提供一站式服务，这样他们就无需再去其他部门了。
重点关注农业投资
《中国投资》：您能向我们介绍一下当前苏丹的投资环境吗？政府采取了哪些政策来吸引外国投资？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：目前，我们正在按照政府制定的整体政策工作，同时每个部委也都有自己的指导方针。我们特别鼓励农业的发展，因为它是苏丹经济的支柱，我们需要确定并实现农业发展的目标。我们周边的区域也都要依靠我们的供应，比如东南非共同市场和其他地区。苏丹处于中部，与许多区域市场相连接，涉及到4.5亿非洲国家的人口和2亿多阿拉伯国家的人口，共计约6到7亿人口。苏丹是一个农业国家，它不仅有义务满足苏丹人民的生活需要，还要考虑邻国的需要。为了减少生产成本，我们当然也要关注其他经济领域的发展，我们也会鼓励石油开采。你知道我们有大量的黄金储备，因此也欢迎投资者对黄金开采进行投资。苏丹的有机食品生产是一大特色，所以要大力推进这类农产品的产业化。
《中国投资》：对于农业领域的投资，你们给予了投资者哪些鼓励政策？税收方面有怎样的规定？苏丹是一个农业国，拥有大片肥沃的土地，你们也出口一些农产品。对在这方面创造收入，你们有哪些政策？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：我们的基本政策是提供土地，然后政府按照战略规划将它们分配给外国投资者，它们大多在农村。所有的农业投资都享受免税优惠。我们需要技术发展苏丹的农业。国际市场需要高品质的、符合国际标准的、知名的产品。没有技术，我们就无法提升我们农产品的质量。我们采取了零缴税的激励政策，目的就是为了能获得先进的技术。我们鼓励向农业领域引进新技术的一切可行做法。
解禁后投资进展
《中国投资》：外商在苏丹投资会遇到哪些挑战和困难？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：1997年当美国对苏丹实施经济制裁时，投资遇到了许多困难，比如金融交易，因为外国公司不能将资金汇入苏丹。但是现在禁运已经解除，投资环境得到了改善，外国公司也可以自由地将资金汇入或汇出苏丹了。
《中国投资》：2017年10月以前，苏丹存在金融交易的问题，那时哪些国家仍在苏丹有投资？他们是怎样设法投资的呢
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：在经济制裁解除前，苏丹大多数的境外投资都来自中国。我们说服他们投资苏丹，他们主要动用在这里的资金。
《中国投资》：那么在经济制裁解除后，投资方面有进展吗，中国、阿拉伯国家，甚至西方国家？他们都对什么类型的投资感兴趣？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：事实上，我们已经向许多来自中国、波兰、荷兰和英国的投资项目颁发了许可证。他们大多集中在农业领域，有些涉足了采矿业。
《中国投资》：你们期望世界各地都能向苏丹进行投资，但是说到投资，还存在着一些误解。比如美国就警告它的公民不要前往苏丹旅游，因为可能会遭遇恐怖袭击或战争。对此您有什么建议？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：当投资者来到苏丹经商，他们应当了解当地的文化。但苏丹人从来不会对他们发动恐怖袭击，而且我也不认为他们的投资受到了恐怖袭击的影响。
《中国投资》：您能谈谈禁运解除后苏丹与美国的关系吗？您希望美国能够扮演怎样的角色？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：2017年10月特朗普总统宣布解除对苏丹的经济制裁后，两国关系有了改善。我们从美国的一些大公司得到了一些投资项目。他们来苏丹主要聚焦对石油、金矿开采和农业的投资，他们对基础设施项目也表现出了兴趣。情况正在走向好转。其实美国以前对苏丹进行过投资，因此恢复对苏丹的投资对他们来说很容易。按照外国资产管制处最近通过的决议，对苏丹金融交易的制裁已经解除了。一些欧洲国家也已开始在苏丹进行投资，比如英国、波兰和荷兰。这些欧洲商人来到苏丹，与苏丹同行签立了一些合作协议。
《中国投资》：在美国的制裁解除后，你们对下一阶段的投资做了哪些准备？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：我们正在努力提升苏丹在国际社会的形象。苏丹不是一个恐怖主义国家，我们的政府有着很好的治理结构和透明度。我们非常希望我们的公司能与国际市场接轨，因此我们正在通过给予投资者更多的优惠条件，构建有利于他们的营商环境。
感谢来自中国的投资
《中国投资》：中国的投资对苏丹的农业起到了什么作用？两国的合作进展得怎样？在苏丹的外商总投资中，中国投资的占比是多少？中国的投资者愿意改造哪一类产业？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：中国在苏丹的投资项目很多，共有174个私营投资项目，不过它们主要集中在工业领域。我们与中国合作的项目共有大约30个。中国私营企业在苏丹的外商总投资中占了约11%，而且他们经营得都很不错。中国的投资者则对改造苏丹的一些旧工厂表示出了兴趣。中国投资者主要聚焦棉花加工业。
《中国投资》：未来你们对增加中国与苏丹在投资方面的合作有怎样的计划？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：过去10年里我曾去过中国许多次，我亲眼目睹了中国经济特区的经营和发展。经济特区也是苏丹正在寻求的发展模式。我们刚刚给中国的公司颁发了许可证，允许他们在苏丹港从事采矿项目。我们在阿尔及利亚、卡萨拉、库斯提和加拉巴特也有许多经济特区，因此我们非常希望中国公司能在这些地方投资，从而将苏丹与埃塞俄比亚、乍得、南苏丹和中非都连接起来。我们期望这些地区能够得到发展，希望中国能在这方面积极投资，并且发挥重要作用。我一直鼓励中国公司前往这些地区进行投资，因为我知道他们在这方面具有丰富的经验。
《中国投资》：您想借此机会对中国的投资者提出一些建议吗？
乃志穆·哈桑·伊布拉欣：首先，我非常感谢中国政府给予苏丹的特别关注，并且号召中国的国有和私营企业到苏丹投资。我们每天都可以看到中国企业在这里高效率地工作，所以我们的确希望能有更多的中国公司来苏丹工作，帮助带动我们国家经济的发展。我本人也非常看重中国的地位，因为中国现在是世界上的经济大国，我们需要与中国发展更紧密的关系，并且互相交换各自的潜能和经验。
英文版：
In October 2017, the US State Department issued a statement announcing the lifting of economic sanctions against Sudan for 20 years. After the lifting of the sanctions order, will Sudan’s economy enter a period of rapid development? What areas will the country focus on to attract foreign investment? What changes will this bring on the investment arena?
With these questions in mind, China Investment dispatched a team of reporters to the Sudanese capital Khartoum in July 2018. Right at the Ministry of Investment, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Investment who is also acting Minister of Investment, Dr. Nagmeldin Hassan Ibrahim, entertained questions on the country’s general investment situation.
About Encouraging Investments in Rural Areas
China Investment: Africa is China’s close friend and, indeed, Sudan is one in this important partnership. What are the areas of Chinese investment in Sudan?
Nagmeldin Hassan Ibrahim: First of all, right now the Minister is not appointed, I’m acting Minister. Really we have very long and good relationship with China. Sudan appreciates the role of all Chinese investments in Sudan. There are a number of Chinese investment projects in public partnership or private sectors. Chinese investment is based on oil and mining. These are strategic investment given to our best friend. So, China actually is our best friend in this regard. Around 11 percent Chinese are in the private sector and they are working very well.
China Investment: Investment is very important in the life and development of every country, what is the role of your ministry?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: Yes, this is the first Ministry you start from. All the procedures were being completed here. We have a single window to facilitate the mission of investors, and they don’t have to go to different institutions.
The role of the Ministry of Investment is to coordinate between the different ministries and to play the role of promoting all investment projects on both private and public sectors. We address the economic issues such as agriculture, mining and industry. Our Ministry is responsible for giving the licenses to allow companies to run business activities. The licenses we issue are subject to long verification with the lined ministries. So, we communicate the applications with the feasibility studies. For instance, if the project is related to education or industry, we would link the companies to the lined ministries. We also study the technical approval of the project to make sure it is good and meeting the requirements of Sudan. During this course we give the company or the investor a number of concessions to enable the companies to establish investment projects in Sudan. Actually, if the project deals with agriculture we will not take any kind of taxes, but if the project deals with industrial sector we will take only 10 percent. If it is a service sector we take only 15 percent of the tax. Also, we have another incentive like freeing all the imported equipments of customs, this is our concession. Even during the implementation of the project the invested company has a right to import more equipments with more concessions, and the other things that we have right now is concessions targeting the remote areas. We encourage investment in these areas through certain concessions, like giving special consideration to companies desiring to invest in remote areas. We don’t equalize them with those who want to invest in the capital Khartoum. So, we give special attention to these areas.
China Investment: Do you have special policies to develop economic free zones to be like what you have seen in China? China free zones’ policy is free and easy; is it a similar situation here in Sudan?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: We want to see the offers that Chinese government can provide, so we agree with the win-win situation.Yes, this is the area that we are going to realize.
About Boosting Investments in Agriculture
China Investment: Can you introduce the current investment situation in Sudan, what is the policy you adopt to attract foreign investment?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: Currently, we are working according to the government general policy guidelines, so each ministry has its own guidelines. We encourage agricultural sector because it is the backbone of Sudan economy. We need to realize the objectives of agriculture. All the areas around rely on our supply, like COMESA (Common Market for East and South Africa) and others. Sudan is in the middle, it connects many regional markets: 450 million people from African countries and more than 200 million people from Arab countries, nearly six to seven hundred million people. So, Sudan is an agricultural country. Its duty is not only to feed Sudanese, but also the neighbouring countries. Also we focus on other economic sectors to shorten the gap of production cost, so we encourage oil exploration too. You know that we have huge reserve of gold; the Ministry also encourages gold mining investment, and Sudan is characterized by organic food production, so we push agro industry products.
China Investment: What kind of policy do you have to encourage foreign investment in agricultural sector?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: The policy we have is based on giving lands, and then we have strategic schemes owned by the government allocated for foreign investment, mainly in the countryside.
All the agricultural investment is free of taxes.
About Investments Following Sanctions Lifting
China Investment: Is there any challenges and difficulties facing foreign investment?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: During the economic sanctions imposed by the US in 1997, the investment faced difficulties like financial transactions. Companies didn’t allow to release money, but right now after the lifting of the sanctions the investment environment is good. Now the companies can transfer money freely to Sudan or from Sudan.
China Investment: In the past the problem was about money transactions; which countries did invest in Sudan before October 2017? How was the issue of transferring money managed?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: Before the lifting of the economic embargo most of the investments were from China. We convinced them to do investment; others based their money here in Sudan.
China Investment: So after the lifting of the economic embargo, do you witness any progress from China, Arab countries or even from the western countries? What type of investment are they interested in? What kind of industry or industries is China reforming?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: Actually, we have a lot of licensed projects from China, Poland, Holland and Britain. Most of them concentrated on agriculture, some are operating in mining, but China is interested in reforming the old factories. China focuses on cotton production industry.
China Investment: The United States, for example, warned its citizens not to travel to Sudan because of some conflicts, what do you say about that?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: No. When investors start business in Sudan they have to learn the culture. Sudanese never and ever exercise terrorist attack. I don’t think the investment is affected by this way.
China Investment: Can you describe the relationship between Sudan and the US after the lifting of the sanctions? What kind of role do you expect the US to play?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: After the lifting of the economic sanctions by President Donald Trump in October 2017, the relationship was developed and we received a number of projects from the biggest US companies. They came to Sudan and their focus was in the areas of oil, gold mining and agriculture. Also, they took interest in infrastructure projects. Things are going better than before. Actually the US has a background about Sudan’s investment. So, it’s easy for them to go deep in Sudanese investment. According to the recent OFAC resolution, Sudan is not under the sanction of money transaction. Some European countries started investment projects in Sudan like Britain, Poland and Holland. We received businessmen from Europe and they signed a number of agreements with their Sudanese counterparts.
China Investment: Are you making any preparations in regards to the new investment phase following the lifting of the US sanctions?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: We are working to improve the image of Sudan before the international community. Sudan is not a terrorist country and it has good governance and transparency. We try to connect our companies to the international markets, so we created conducive atmosphere to investors through more concessions. We don’t have a problem as well.
About Attracting More Chinese Investments
China Investment: Coming back to Chinese investment, what kind of future plans do you have to boost Sudan-China investment cooperation?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: During the last 10 years I have been to China for many times, and I have seen how Chinese run business and investment in free zones markets. The special economic zone is the way that we are looking for in Sudan. Right now we issued licenses for Chinese companies to operate in Port Sudan in mining projects. We have many economic zones in Algenina, Kassala, Kosti and AL Galabat, so we hope that Chinese companies will lead investment in these areas which connect Sudan to Ethiopia, Chad, South Sudan and Central Africa. We look forward to promote these zones, and I hope China will play a key role in this type of investment. I always encourage Chinese companies to invest in these areas because I know they have a long experience in this field.
China Investment: Sudan is indeed an agricultural country, what is your policy to generate revenue and benefits from this sector?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: We need technology to promote agriculture in Sudan. The international community requires high quality products that are based on international standards and well-known trade mark. So, without technology we can’t improve agricultural products. We adopt zero tax policy as an incentive to encourage access to technology, and we encourage feasibilities that add a new technology to the agricultural sector.
China Investment: What is the role of China investment in Sudan in terms of agriculture?
Nagmeldin Hassan lbrahim: Firstly, I appreciate the role of the China government for giving special attention to Sudan and for directing both public and private sectors to invest in Sudan. Every day we witness how Chinese companies work with high efficiency, so we really encourage Chinese companies to work in Sudan and to lead the economy in the country. Really, I need to store the position of China, because China is number one in economy. We need to develop the relations between the two countries. We need to exchange interests potentials and experiences.
Really we have a lot of Chinese projects in Sudan. There are 174 private investment projects run by Chinese, but most of them focus on industrial sector. Also, we have about 30 partnership projects between Sudan and China.
