‘Fuel price rise may impact on commodity prices in Sudan’
The Sudan Parliament has given the green light to the Executive Authority to increase fuel prices, the knock-on effect of which may be a new rise in commodity prices. A source has revealed that Parliament has agreed to increase the price of petrol and diesel; indicating that the decision would be implemented within the next few days. Petrol will be increased first, followed by diesel. However, the National Consensus Forces (NCF), a coalition of Sudanese opposition parties attempting to remove the National Congress Party (NCP) from power, has rejected the decision.The NCF media spokesman Kamal Omar explained to Radio Dabanga that the government’s decision to lift subsidies on fuel and electricity is in fact placing new burdens on the poor. “The purpose of the move is to generate revenue for the regime’s treasury,” says Omar. “This is to overcome the government’s failure to create stability in the country due to the wars,” he asserts. “These goods are not subsidised and that this decision intends to raise their prices. This will result in raising all the prices in the market. The question is how citizens who depend on one meal a day will be able to afford the new burdens,” he said. Omar pointed out that these government measures “might actually play into the hand of the 100-day plan announced by the opposition forces to topple the Al Bashir regime”. Khartoum and other cities in Sudan saw demonstrations and protests by students and youth during June and July last year, in protest against the government’s decision to subsidies on a number of basic commodities. During a meeting with National Congress Party women, Vice President Haj Adam Youssef reportedly said that the increase in fuel prices was necessitated by “the need to meet the country’s failure to find new alternatives to solve the economic crisis”. File photo: A queue for petrol in Nyala, South Darfur Related: Fuel shortage leading to rising prices in North Darfur locality (4 April 2013) Gas, goods prices reach ‘unprecedented’ high in S Darfur (20 March 2013)
The Sudan Parliament has given the green light to the Executive Authority to increase fuel prices, the knock-on effect of which may be a new rise in commodity prices.
A source has revealed that Parliament has agreed to increase the price of petrol and diesel; indicating that the decision would be implemented within the next few days. Petrol will be increased first, followed by diesel.
However, the National Consensus Forces (NCF), a coalition of Sudanese opposition parties attempting to remove the National Congress Party (NCP) from power, has rejected the decision.
The NCF media spokesman Kamal Omar explained to Radio Dabanga that the government’s decision to lift subsidies on fuel and electricity is in fact placing new burdens on the poor.
“The purpose of the move is to generate revenue for the regime’s treasury,” says Omar. “This is to overcome the government’s failure to create stability in the country due to the wars,” he asserts.
“These goods are not subsidised and that this decision intends to raise their prices. This will result in raising all the prices in the market. The question is how citizens who depend on one meal a day will be able to afford the new burdens,” he said.
Omar pointed out that these government measures “might actually play into the hand of the 100-day plan announced by the opposition forces to topple the Al Bashir regime”.
Khartoum and other cities in Sudan saw demonstrations and protests by students and youth during June and July last year, in protest against the government’s decision to subsidies on a number of basic commodities.
During a meeting with National Congress Party women, Vice President Haj Adam Youssef reportedly said that the increase in fuel prices was necessitated by “the need to meet the country’s failure to find new alternatives to solve the economic crisis”.
File photo: A queue for petrol in Nyala, South Darfur
Related:
Fuel shortage leading to rising prices in North Darfur locality (4 April 2013)
Gas, goods prices reach ‘unprecedented’ high in S Darfur (20 March 2013)
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