Fuel and bread queues also return to El Gedaref, Kassala

El Gedaref has experienced a severe gas fuel shortage for three days. Fuel stations are running empty. In Kassala state, a lack of bread is causing long queues in front of bakeries.

A resident in El Gedaref told Radio Dabanga that most of the fuel stations are out of gasoline. He said that in addition, people have to stand in long queues to get bread. The waiting on front of the bakery starts in the early morning.

Regarding fuel stations, vehicles are also queued in front of the three last operating stations, the man added.

People in Halfa El Jadeeda ('New Halfa') in Kassala state have complained of a severe bread shortage for the past week. A resident told Radio Dabanga that most bakeries are closed during the day and in the evening, because they have run out of the flour rations they receive from flour companies.

“The economic safety of families has been reduced because of the smaller quantities of flour provided to the bakeries,” the resident complained.

After a few weeks of relative respite, queues in front of fuel stations have also returned in other parts of Sudan, including Khartoum, Wad Medani, El Geneina and Abu Jubeiha. The cities are running low on fuel, especially gasoline.

Pump owners attributed the crisis to the reduction of the daily rations for a number of fuel stations.

Minister of Transport, Hatim El Sir, visited Port Sudan on Thursday. He attributed the fuel crisis to delayed payments to fuel-owning companies, adding that the Sea Ports Corporation should not be accused of purposely delaying the entry of fuel tankers.

Back in August, the Minister of Finance, Economy and Consumer Affairs of Khartoum State, Adil Mohamed Osman, said that the bread crisis was nearing its end.

End 2017, the Sudanese government decided on a package of austerity measures in an attempt to address the huge gap in its finances. One of the measures included the liberalisation of the flour market which lead to the doubling of the bread prices.