The Cabinet's Economic Development Sector reviewed in its meeting yesterday at the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers the draft budget for the fiscal year 2013, presented by the Minister of Finance and National Economy and Head of the sector Ali Mahmoud.
The Minister of Finance revealed that the most important features of the draft budget include stabilization of economic growth, containing factors of price hikes and continuity in supporting vulnerable segments as well as supporting of self-sufficiency policies of strategic commodities, increase of non-oil exports and replacement of imports.
The report expected improvement of growth of gross domestic product (GDP).
The report explained that the draft budget excluded the revenues resulted from the agreements signed with the State of South Sudan for the purpose of building the budget on strong assumptions.
Sector stressed the need to continue in implementation of the tripartite programme for economic stability and sustainable growth in the different axes.

President of the Republic, Field Marshal, Omer Al-Basher received, yesterday, at the Guest House heads of the diplomatic missions accredited to Khartoum, Ministers, senior government officials, leaders of the regular forces, Islamic and Christian religious men who came to congratulate him on his safe return, Wednesday, from the Saudi Kingdom where he carried out minor surgery in his throat
Minister of Defense, General, Abdul Rahim Mohamed Hussein told SUNA that the president would return to practice his presidential activities even stronger, wishing him good health and wellness as symbol of pride and dignity of the nation

President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, is due to begin today a program of meetings in Saudi Arabia by receiving at his residence a number of senior officials in the Kingdom
It is to be recalled that the President of the Republic was Wednesday released from hospital after undergoing a minor surgical operation on Tuesday.

The head of the National Umma Party, Imam Al-Sadig Al-Mahdi, condemned and denounced Israel’s attack on the Yarmouk munitions plant in Sudan, saying the party is against any violation of the country's sovereignty. He added, "Defending the country's sovereignty is an undisputed principle."
In a press conference he held at the party's headquarters yesterday, he affirmed that this era requires unity in the face of brazen violence.
Al-Mahdi added, "Whoever plans and executes a coup will have necessarily taken away the choice of the people to decide their governor."
He went on to say, "Opposition parties are not qualified to rule the country in the next decade because they lack joint strategic vision, and the current regime is in no way near collapsing."
Regarding South Sudan, he said, "A strategic partnership must be made between Sudan and South Sudan to realise each other's interests. The two countries must realize this is the only way forward, because otherwise both countries will continue to threaten each other’s national security."

The Vice President of the Republic Dr. Haj Adam Yousuf has said that the government would not allow passage of south Sudan's oil through the Sudanese territories before signing of agreement on security arrangements
He urged, when he addressed the cultural and sports campaign of the State of South Kordofan organized Saturday in Khartoum Stadium, the government of southern Sudan to stop providing support to the rebels and to disengage the political and military bonds with them, stressing keenness of the government of Sudan to achieve peace in the state of South Kordofan
The State Minister at the Ministry of Electricity and Dams, Dr. Thabita Boutros said that the people of South Kordofan State wanted stability and peace and tranquility on the present and future of the state and next generations
A number of dignitaries have participated in the campaign included federal and state leaderships along sport teams, cultural groups and a large gathering of citizens, specially from the state of South Kordofan