Adikonq, March 03 (Darfur24)
Tightened border measures between Sudan and Chad have entered their tenth consecutive day, with mounting signs of direct economic fallout across the Darfur states amid stricter controls and limits on cross-border movement.
Sudan and Chad share an open border stretching approximately 1,350 kilometers.
Sources told Darfur24 that Chadian authorities have reinforced controls at official crossings and now require citizens of both countries to present valid passports to cross the border.
The sources noted that foodstuffs and commercial goods are increasingly being smuggled at night through unofficial routes using traditional vehicles and informal transport methods.
According to local traders, some goods, including sugar, are being brought into Sudan through these routes at a cost of around 1,000 Chadian francs per sack, equivalent to roughly 25,000 Sudanese pounds at the current exchange rate.
Markets across Darfur have experienced sharp increases in food and commodity prices in recent days, with near-daily fluctuations, amid a noticeable decline in regular cross-border supplies.
In Al-Junaynah, traders in the Al-Katak currency exchange market reported a drop in the value of the Chadian franc against the Sudanese pound. The exchange rate for 1,000 francs fell from about 28,000 Sudanese pounds to less than 25,000 pounds, reflecting the impact of ongoing border restrictions on trade flows.