Queueing for fuel and bread continues in Sudanese cities

Khartoum and other cities in Sudan continue to witness queues of cars in front of fuel stations, along with the ongoing bread shortage and lack of transportation.

The crises are felt in Khartoum in particular, a resident in the capital city described. “The situation is serious. The city’s streets have transformed into lines of people for bread, fuel and ATMs. It’s intolerable.”

He said that as a result of economic pressure, the majority of people have been eating lentils instead of Egyptian beans.

Also Kassala in eastern Sudan has witnessed a total lack of gasoline starting Wednesday. Several vehicle owners reported to Radio Dabanga that their vehicles have been lined up in front of fuel stations “for days, in the hope of getting a gallon of gasoline”.

They pointed out that the gasoline crisis has led to a rise of transporation costs and called on the authorities to expedite the solution of the problem.

The shortage of fuel impacts millers and bakers – in Port Sudan for example, bakeries have started with a purchase limit for customers. But the higher fuel prices has also led to a transportation crisis that exacerbates the shortage of fuel and consumer goods.

The shortages of fuel and bread have become chronic as they continue unabated throughout Sudan. Earlier this month reports reaching Radio Dabanga say that despite increased government flour subsidies, bread is so scarce that it now being sold for inflated process on the black market in the streets surrounding bakeries.

Sudan is suffering from chronic hard currency shortages and a soaring inflation since 2012. Prices skyrocketed in particular after the government implemented a set of austerity measures in January this year. The crises have led to recurrent shortages in commodities like bread and fuel.