Border Trade Contributing to Local Recovery

Darfur’s border towns and trading hubs have been affected by several factors in recent years, most notably the secession of South Sudan and the resulting border disputes that temporarily shut down trade routes in East Darfur.

By Sharon Lukunka

 

The economic downturn in Sudan, which has taken its toll on businesses in Darfur, has resulted in rising prices that have broadly affected traders and consumers in the region. The formation of South Sudan more than two years ago and the ensuing disputes over oil rights have deeply affected the economies on both sides of the border, leading to inflation, austerity measures and protests. Exacerbating the downturn’s impact in Darfur are several other factors, including the general security situation, less than bountiful harvests and the temporary closing of border trade routes.

Mr. Ishag Abdulrahman, one of the several hundred border-traders living in East Darfur, has been working in this business for 13 years, selling food items, fuel and other goods in what is now South Sudan. Each week, Mr. Abdulrahman and his fellow El Daein traders depart East Darfur on trucks destined for the south. During the rainy season, they must sometimes replace their trucks with carts and donkeys, enabling the traders to pass their goods over difficult parts of the muddy roads.

“For centuries, trade has been the lifeblood of the economy in East Darfur,” says Mr. Abdulrahman. “This includes cross-border trade between Darfur and neighbouring countries in livestock, and in commodities such as gum, cereal and other items.”

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In El Geneina, West Darfur, traders rest under their truck near the customs office near the border. Photo by Albert González Farran, UNAMID.