Currency exchange gains momentum in black markets

Civilians complain that the illicit trade is flourishing especially in remote areas

The exchange of Sudanese currency gained momentum in the black markets of the Darfuri states on Tuesday, with the deadline for currency replacement announced by the government fast approaching.The traders in the black market profited especially in counties and remote areas where there are no centers for currency exchange.

A civilian residing in a remote area told Radio Dabanga, “We believe that the traders are recruited by the government. Exchange centers take commissions that range from 10 to 20% of the total exchanged money and, in the worst cases, the commissions could reach up to 40%.”

He also stated that in the village a thousand pounds of the old currency was being exchanged to 800 of the new currency and 100 pounds was being exchanged with 80 of the new money. He added that the exchange could also take place by buying some goods such as sugar, oil and flour.

In Tulus, South Darfur, a number of civilians filed complaints of receiving lesser money than the amount they had given for exchange. At the same time, civilians living in the rural areas and villages in Tulus complained of not being able to exchange their old money for the new until Tuesday.

In North Darfur, the head of the Central Bank of Sudan in El Fasher Fath El Rahman Malik called on all civilians to not delay the changing of money. He announced that the exchanging operation will go on in the states and counties until Wednesday.

He added that, after Thursday, the currency agents would be closed for exchange operations to be completed in the different branches of the central bank by September 1.

There have been protests in Nyala earlier this month demanding an extension of the September 1 deadline set by the government for all currency exchange. The pressure on the government to extend the deadline is increasing with reports of civilians being unable to access banks.

Thursday deadline announced

The governor of the Central Bank of Sudan announced that commercial banks would stop exchanging currency of 10, 20 and 50 Sudanese pounds on Thursday evening at five pm.

The bank added that the exchange process will continue from Friday, August 26 until Thursday, September 1 in the Central Bank of Sudan branches in Khartoum and El Fasher, Nyala and the Export Development Bank branch in El Geneina until six pm every day, including the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr.