Sudan: North Kordofan Capital Faces Thirst and Soaring Prices Amid Accusations of Official Neglect

What the report says

Residents of El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan in Sudan, are facing a growing shortage of drinking water alongside sharp increases in the cost of basic foods, according to Dabanga via AllAfrica. The report says the price of water has risen steeply, while staples such as sugar, flour and cooking oil have also become more expensive, putting added pressure on households in the city.

The article quotes El Obeid-based journalist Omar Wad Abkar as saying the water problem is linked to administrative and technical failures and to what he described as an inability by officials to deliver workable fixes. He argued that the situation has worsened even as conditions on the ground have improved in some areas, and said water stations are now under army control. He also said goods are still reaching local markets, suggesting the price surge is being driven more by fees and levies than by supply blockages.

The report also places the city’s difficulties in the broader context of Sudan’s war. It notes remarks in Geneva by Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the UN fact-finding mission on Sudan, who said repeated attacks by the Rapid Support Forces had damaged civilian infrastructure, including water and energy systems, and that both sides may have committed serious violations of international law. The situation in El Obeid matters because the city remains a key population center under strain from conflict, insecurity and rising living costs.