SUDAN: Darfurians find ways round trading challenges
The Western Sudanese region of Darfur was once an important contributor to the global economy. Cattle, gum arabic, tobacco and manufactured goods made their way into the markets of Khartoum, the Gulf States, and even Europe and North America. Since the Darfur conflict erupted 2003, many of these links have been broken.
Nyala, in South Darfur, is no longer the second-most important manufacturing centre of Sudan. Few Darfuri cattle make the trip to Omdurman market, near Khartoum. And the Darfuri gum arabic trade, which once made Sudan the world's leading exporter of the valuable commodity, is now defunct.
However, in the high-risk conditions of the region, where insecurity and banditry have largely destroyed the economy, there are remarkable signs of adaptability.
