Port Sudan - The eastern city of Port Sudan is witnessing an economic recovery after it became a destination for transients and fleeing the army and rapid support confrontations that have raged in the capital Khartoum since mid-April, and the city has turned into an alternative administrative center for the government with the transfer of a number of ministries, and investors and businessmen are making arrangements to transfer their activities to the port city.
The coastal city was apparently not prepared to face this large advance of tens of thousands of transients and those wishing to settle until the security conditions in the capital calmed down, and it was clear that the great population pressure on the economic and daily living aspects was clear, and dozens of new job opportunities were opened with it, which was a positive factor for thousands of low-income people.
According to identical sources, Port Sudan, located about 800 kilometers from Khartoum, currently hosts more than its original population, estimated at about two million, unlike those who stayed there for days before the evacuations of foreign nationals and those transiting to other countries, where the only port represented the only lifelink for those wishing to leave for Jeddah as a primary destination.
Port Sudan is Sudan's second largest and most economically important city, as it is the country's largest maritime gateway.
Al Jazeera Net monitored a remarkable recovery in the markets, shops and restaurants that crowded with visitors in a way that the city was not familiar with for many years, as most of its residents were forced at this time of each year to leave it to escape high temperatures and continuous power outages with the inability to obtain drinking water.
New Opportunities
Prices have risen remarkably, especially renting and buying real estate, amid a noticeable scarcity of empty housing, which forced many families to open their doors to host family, relatives or those stranded, while locals talk about the contribution of population pressure to invent new professions that were not possible at this time of the year, such as barbershops, dry washing and fast food.
Salem Ohaj, the owner of a multi-purpose shop in the large market, talks about a clear increase in the sale of food, clothing and electrical appliances, and points out that the confrontations in Khartoum have revived the conditions of Port Sudan in a way similar to the winter season, when it is a destination for thousands of Sudanese to enjoy its rainy weather.
After the decision of a number of Sudanese airlines to resume work from Port Sudan airport, the city has become a destination for travelers who have been unable to close Khartoum airport since the outbreak of clashes, despite the high cost of travel, as they must pass through Jeddah airport before moving to the destination destination.
Fathia Ali Mohammed, owner of a travel agency, says that the aviation travel sector has witnessed a significant rise in ticket prices for airlines specified by Tarco and Badr, which work to transport passengers to the Saudi city of Jeddah.
She added, in her speech to Al Jazeera Net, that the price of the airline ticket doubled from 300 thousand pounds ($ 500) to 630 thousand pounds (exceeding a thousand dollars), and despite the high prices says the owner of the agency the demand is large to book flights to Jeddah and from there to other destinations, as the flight from Port Sudan Airport is currently selected to it only.
Port Sudan reached a large number of investors and businessmen to escape the clashes in Khartoum (French)
Investment Flow
In the hope of escaping the confrontations that erupted in Khartoum, a large number of investors and businessmen arrived in Port Sudan after a great destruction of their investments from factories and production inputs, but most of them stopped leaving and decided to transfer a number of factories to Port Sudan to turn the wheels of their production again.
The head of the division of real estate offices in the state of the Red Sea owner Al-Akam for the island net that he received many requests investors, including Syrians and Sudanese to start work from Port Sudan, which he said lacks the infrastructure of residential complexes, hotels and towers on the coast, and indicates that the presence of businessmen will contribute to changing these conditions and building a tourist city with high specifications.
Al-Akam stressed that 30% of the factories will shift from Khartoum to the Red Sea State, including a water container factory, another for soap and a mineral water factory, where the port worker is an encouraging additional advantage for investors, which means, according to Al-Akam, a significant increase in employment opportunities, which constitutes an important shift for the local population.
He said that the Red Sea is one of the states that encourage investment in fish farming and marine reefs, and factories can be set up in it to dry and pack fish.
Regarding the Red Sea State's lack of investment leverages due to the lack of electricity and water, Al-Akam pointed out that the industrial city south of Port Sudan has been completed in terms of electricity and asphalted streets thanks to the efforts made by former governor Mohamed Taher Ayla, which helps in establishing many factories without obstacles.
Rising rents
Al-Akam acknowledges that apartment rents recorded astronomical figures with increases of up to 60% compared to the past, and attributed the significant increase to the influx of officials of organizations and embassies to Port Sudan and the payment of any amount requested by the tenant, but this - as he says - affected ordinary expatriates and the inability of a large number of them to pay the required value, as they are hosted by many charitable bodies.
Rental prices range from EGP 40,80 to EGP 80,120 per day (approximately $<>-$<>).
Omar Mohamed Moussa, a member of the Real Estate Offices Division, said that the confrontations in Khartoum had a great impact on Port Sudan, which was not ready to receive the large number of expatriates and transients, which increased rental prices due to the lack of apartments in return for the high population pressure, forcing the relevant authorities to open clubs and halls to receive thousands, especially foreigners who are unable to meet the high value of rents.