Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Africa, 2003

Sudan

Exchange rate: U.S.$1.00 equals 260 dinars.

Note: This information is from 1997.

Old Age, Disability, and Survivors

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1974.

Current law: 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employees of firms and agricultural establishments with five or more workers. Applies throughout most of the country.

Exclusions: Domestic servants, homeworkers, family labor, and the self-employed.

Special system for public-sector employees and the armed forces.

Source of Funds

Insured person: 8% of monthly wages.

Employer: 17% of monthly payroll.

Government: None.

(Insured persons may receive credit for previous years of service by paying an additional lump sum in accordance with the schedule in law.)

Qualifying Conditions

Old-age pension: Age 60 (men) or 55 (women); earlier for those engaged in arduous work, with 12 years of contributions.

Early pension: A reduced early pension is payable from age 45 with 12 years of contributions.

Old-age settlement: For an insured person at retirement age who is not eligible for a pension.

Disability pension: Permanent total incapacity. There is no minimum qualifying period.

Survivor pension: The insured person was a pensioner at the time of death. There is no minimum qualifying period.

Survivor settlement: The insured person was not eligible for a pension.

Old-Age Benefits

Old-age pension: 1/50 of average monthly earnings.

The maximum pension is 75% of earnings.

The pensioner can take part of the pension as a lump-sum benefit, without interest.

Reduced pension: The pension is reduced by 20% for persons aged 45 to 49, 15% for ages 50 to 54, and 10% for ages 55 to 59.

Old-age settlement: A lump-sum refund of all the employer and employee contributions, plus any benefit accrued prior to 1990.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Disability pension: 50% of the previous year's average monthly earnings.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: 50% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the preceding year or 100% of the old-age pension, whichever is higher. The pension is payable to a widow (if there is more than one widow, the pension is divided equally) or dependent widower, to orphans under age 18 (age 26 if a student; no limit if disabled or an unmarried daughter), and parents. Full orphans receive 100% of the pension.

A lump sum equal to 42 months' pension or 42 months' earnings is paid if the insured was not a pensioner at the time of death. In the absence of a surviving widow, orphans, or parents, the lump sum is payable to dependent brothers and sisters.

Survivor settlement: A lump sum is payable if the insured person was not eligible for a pension.

Administrative Organization

Minister of Manpower provides general supervision.

Managed by a tripartite governing board and director, the National Social Insurance Fund administers the program.

Work Injury

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1947.

Current law: 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed persons.

Exclusions: Family labor, members of the armed forces, members of the police force, and prison labor.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.

Employer: 2% of monthly payroll.

Government: None.

Qualifying Conditions

Work injury benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period.

Temporary Disability Benefits

The assessed degree of disability multiplied by 80% of the monthly wage.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Permanent disability pension: 80% of the current wage, if totally disabled.

Partial disability: A percentage of the full benefit proportionate to the assessed degree of loss of working capacity.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Medical treatment and transportation.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: 80% of the previous year's average monthly wage, payable to a widow, a dependent widower, orphans (under age 18 or disabled), an unmarried daughter, and parents.

Administrative Organization

Minister of Labor and Administrative Reform provides general supervision.

National Social Insurance Fund administers the program.

Medical care is provided by public health services.

Transportation is provided by the employer.

Employers must insure the assessed liability with private insurance companies.