Sudan’s fuel, bread, and transport crisis shows no respite as prices soar

The ongoing fuel shortage across Sudan, with knock-on effects impacting transport, logistics, and supply of household goods across the country, continues to impact the daily lives of Sudanese, from the capital Khartoum to the states of Darfur.

Transport in Khartoum has reportedly risen by 100 per cent. Yesterday, Massoud Ahmed El Hassan, a Communist Party official in the national capital, told a news conference in Khartoum that the cost of living is intolerable and unaffordable.

He pointed to the figures and percentages published by Unicef on the situation of children in Sudan and the rates of malnutrition and dwarfism among them. He stressed that the state has completely lifted its hand on health and education, with weak income of workers in the state and the regime spending for its security and protection of corrupt.

El Hassan said that “the state is not doing anything for public hospitals where net spending is zero… the government is not spending on education, health, electricity and water, nor does it provide sewers and the roads are not paved.”

He stressed that the citizen reached this conviction and determined position on the authority to overthrow the regime.

Darfur

The residents of the Darfur states have renewed complaints about the rise in food prices of food and consumer goods where the price of a sack of millet in El Malha has risen to SDG 2,700 (*$96), and a sack of sugar SDG 1,400 ($50).

Red Sea

On Tuesday, the residents of the Red Sea state in eastern Sudan expressed deep discontent over the rise in the cost of taxi fare; the second of its kind this year.

The sub-committee of taxi workers in the Red Sea state attributed the crisis to the increase the prices of spare parts, tires, oils and other operating materials, as well as increase the full insurance to SDG 12,000 ($430).The residents condemned the unilateral decision of sub-committee and weak oversight of the government.

They explained that the decision would lead to the reluctance of the residents to travel by taxis.

Communist Party

The Communist Party of Sudan has warned of the spectre of famine in the country because of the comprehensive economic collapse and the crises facing the current agricultural season.

Siddig Yousef of the Communist Party leadership told a news conference in Khartoum that “The economic crisis has negatively impacted living, health and productivity conditions, as well as the high price, the collapse of the value of the Sudanese Pound and the lack of liquidity in the banks, the increase in the prices of production inputs as a result of the increase in customs”.

He pointed to the reluctance of most farmers to get involved in farming during this season because of the rise of the input of prices and diesel crisis, while the floods have affected the country’s large areas of agricultural land in El Gezira because of the lack of drainage, which threatens the failure of the agricultural season,

He said thousands of factories have stopped working due to lack of production inputs and electricity problems, which led to the displacement of workers.

He pointed to the impact of the economic crisis on the medicine sector and the steady rise in the prices of medicines, which affects human health.

He stressed the continued movement of the masses and resistance to government policies in different state, despite the state of emergency declared in nine states and the increased security grip in other states.

* Based on the indicative US Dollar rate quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan (CboS)