This archive report was first published on 18 December 2019.
December 18, 2019, marked a year since bread prices tripled overnight in Sudan, sparking protests in the town of Atbara. The crisis, which began in December 2018, led to the toppling of veteran autocrat Omar al-Bashir and paved the way for civilian rule.
Today, residents in Atbara celebrate the end of the bread crisis, with bakeries producing more loaves than the town can eat. 'There are no problems concerning bread anymore,' said 45-year-old Magdy Mohammed Ahmed, blaming the crisis on 'mismanagement during the previous regime.'
Residents have set up a citizens' committee to distribute bread, ensuring that everyone gets their fill. 'Now we monitor everything, the distribution of flour, the bakeries, the manufacturing of bread inside the bakeries and the selling of bread to the citizens,' said committee member Imad Abdel Hafez.
However, the young woman Heba Alaa Allah noted that prices of other food items such as meat, fruit, and vegetables are still too high. Protest leader Said Ahmed Mokhtar expressed hope that this would be resolved soon.
