The costs of the war in Darfur, since its start in 2003, have been estimated at $50 billion.<\/p>\n
Prof. Hamed El Tijani, head of the Political Science department at the American University in Cairo informed Radio Dabanga: \u201cThis figure does not include the expenses for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, recruited last year and commanded by the National intelligence and Security Service (NISS)\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said that the Sudanese government spends an average of $5 billion a year on the war in Darfur. \u201cThis constitutes 23 percent of its national income, while about one percent is spent on the health and education sectors.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA research revealed that the military expenditures for Darfur between 2003 and 2009 were about $10 billion.\u201d El Tijani furthermore explained that the production losses in Darfur during this period amount to $7 billion, while losses of life savings reached $2.6 billion, apart from the $11 billion of indirect costs for peacekeeping operations.<\/p>\n
File photo (Unamid)<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n