Sudan issues are increasing with each passing day and not coming to a stop. Hundreds of thousands of truck drivers are stuck in blocking a significant export route out of Sudan into Egypt, hampering exports of camels and other livestock as opposed to a military takeover has fuelled festering grievances over trade.
According to one of the protestors, Rashid Abuzeid, “These are the fruits of our country passing through this road, and this is the reason that Sudan must need to come to unite and hold a position.” He said this on February 10 Thursday.
As per the protester, ‘Sherif Hussein’ said young people wanted to achieve their dreams and ambitions with the protests.
He further said that “The benefit of protests and marches, and use of barricades and blocking roads, these are all ways to reach these demands.”
The protesters’ siege of the highway known as the Northern Artery used waves of rocks and other barriers to barricade the road. It started in January after the Sudan government sharply increased electricity prices for farmers.
At the end of January, nearly 1,500 drivers were stuck as they tried to return to Egypt. The Egyptian trucking union gave the latest numbers available, with no signs of waning protests.
The blocking of roads shows the exposure of Sudan’s economy, already suffering in crisis, to the political tumult.
From the time protest was happening, they stopped shipping at Port Sudan, its leading trade hub, last in 2021.
As per the truck drivers of Egypt, they have been stuck there for almost three weeks. “Their problem is with the government, not with us,” said one, standing amidst dozens of trucks in Al-Hamadab in Sudan’s Northern State.
Camel herders say export limitations cause them to lose out on significant profits on racing camels. Some are smuggled to Egypt and the Gulf, while others are sold for meat.
According to herder Almanofali Abdelrahman, the state is not paying attention to these issues.
