SHARE The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it reached a staff-level agreement with Sudan, a step that brings the North African country closer to debt relief. A sustained strong performance under the staff-monitored programme is one of the requirements for Sudan to reach the "decision point" to qualify for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, the Washington-based lender said in a statement. “Despite very challenging conditions which are exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Sudanese authorities continue to make sustained progress on their ambitious reform agenda," Carol Baker, head of the IMF mission, said. The agreement that follows completion of the fund's second and final review under the staff-monitored programme is subject to approval by IMF management, according to the statement.