Five commercial trucks loaded with food from Sudan’s East Darfur State have arrived in Aweil North County of South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, local officials said.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Aweil North County Commissioner Victorino Ken Akoon said: “The road has not opened officially due to floods in the northern bank of Kiir Adem River. But on Wednesday, five trucks arrived from East Darfur to Gokmachar town, using the Kiir Pal route that is located west of Kiir Adem.”
The local official said the arrival of the five commercial trucks loaded with food has raised hope among the citizens that the prices will drop in the market.
Bol Maken, a representative of the Aweil North Chamber of Commerce chamber, said: “Yes, five trucks have already arrived in Gokmachar, and some are still on the way coming. This is the first time this year for the trucks to arrive here because the Sudanese truckers were stranded on the north Bank of Kiir Adem and didn’t arrive here because the floodwater level was high.”
“The prices are dropping slowly in Gokmachar. 50 kg of sugar is now sold at 38,000 SSP, 100 kg of onions is now sold at 40,000-35,000 SSP, and it was 120,000 SSP, 100 kg was 100,000 SSP and now is sold at 65,000-60,000 SSP. If goods come continuously from Sudan, the prices will drop,” he explained.
Meanwhile, William Wel Deng, a member of the Northern Bahr el Ghazal legislative assembly, welcomed the resumption of business border trade between Sudan and South Sudan.
“There is a good movement of businessmen this year because we had rapid forces that have been cracking down on bandits from there and even to our side, and I hope there will be no insecurity on the way,” Wel said.
Earlier this week, Sudan and South Sudan officials said they agreed to strengthen border-crossing movement between the two countries to facilitate trade and movement of people.
If implemented, it would help the two countries to implement the 2012 cooperation agreement.
South Sudan, which is experiencing inconsistent and rampant inflation, is highly dependent on imported supplies from neighbouring countries.