Sudan conflict impacts prices of goods in Aweil town

By Hou Akot Hou

Traders in Northern Bahr El Ghazal’s Aweil market have complained about the spike in prices of goods and commodities as a result of the Sudanese war.

The conflict that erupted since April 15 between two rival military factions has led to closure of the border, thus disrupting trade.

 Adam Musa, a trader based in Aweil town, said Wednesday that the ongoing conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is indirectly affecting the people in Aweil.

“Since the war erupted in Sudan, trucks stopped bringing in goods from Sudan and our businesses depend on imports from there. The market is getting empty. The rate of the U.S dollar is also soaring,” Musa told The Juba Echo.

Musa said goods like onions, sugar are now scarce in Aweil town.

He said they are enduring high costs to import maize flour from Uganda amid impassable roads.

Musa said that the Sudanese warring factions should stop the war so that business flourishes again.

Regina Achol Lual, who runs a tea business in Aweil town, said she has been hit hard due to the high prices of sugar.

“Getting sugar, coffee and even jerry cans of water to make tea is expensive. They tell us that the road that is a life-line is closed,” She said.

Santino Akot, the Director General in the State’s Ministry of Trade, said they are hoping for the guns to go silent in Sudan so that the situation normalizes.