REPORT
Guinea: the Ramadan period promises to be difficult in the face of rising prices
Audio 01:17
In a street in Conakry (Illustrative photo) ©SIA KAMBOU/AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
In Guinea, Ramadan begins with a question: what will we be able to buy for breaking the fast?
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With our correspondent in Conakry,
Mathias Raynal
Prohibition of re-export of basic necessities, reduction of customs duties on certain products such as rice or sugar... The government announced last week a series of measures to support the narrow purchasing power of Guineans.
But in the grocery stores of Conakry, prices have started to rise again, as always during this festive period.
In a tiny grocery store in the La Camayenne district, 16-year-old Sophie Camara gives change to a depressed customer.
“
All the prices have gone up, it never goes down
,” laments the young shopkeeper.
In front of her, Aminata Camara could not go shopping for Ramadan.
“
I have no money.
I haven't bought anything yet
,” she laments.
If she had the means, Aminata Camara would take “
rice, sugar, milk, tea.
I am expecting my husband.
He went out to try to find some money.
If he does, we'll go shopping.
Otherwise, we will sit in the street during the breaking of the fast and people will feed us.
“He is unemployed.
She, a shopkeeper, at the end of her pregnancy, is too tired to work.
Aminata Camara relies on the solidarity of the inhabitants of the neighborhood.
A few meters further, Mariam Diallo sells onions: “
The 25-kilogram bag now costs 185,000 Guinean francs
”, almost 20 euros.
It has just experienced an increase of more than 20%, in just two weeks.
Mariam Diallo gets her supplies from wholesalers in the capital and government announcements have had no effect on their prices.
“
Today I went to the market and asked the prices.
They are not decreasing, on the contrary, they are higher every day.
»
► To read also: The concerns of Guineans over the soaring prices of basic necessities
And that affects business.
Customers are fewer than in previous years.
Retailers, too, are gloomy in Conakry.
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