The New Reality of Port Sudan

Over a week ago, my aunt called my grandmother in Port Sudan, Sudan's de facto administrative capital by the Red Sea. "I haven't heard missiles in two days. I'm worried," said my grandmother. She has gotten used to the sound of war since the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalated to Port Sudan in May.

Before then, the family had been living in a perceived state of safety from the horrors happening elsewhere in the country. They hosted displaced family members from Khartoum and were mainly concerned that the children could not attend school.

When the war reached their city, most family members scrambled to leave Port Sudan, unwilling to risk experiencing, sometimes for the second time, what happened in Khartoum in the spring of 2023. My grandmother, however, refuses to leave. Port Sudan is all she knows, even though it is rapidly changing.

Built in 1905 to replace the ancient port city of Suakin, Port Sudan is the country's main seaport and the source of 90 percent of its international trade. With just over half a million inhabitants, the city is small despite its crucial commercial role. After war broke out in Khartoum in 2023, it became a major destination for internally displaced people seeking to rebuild their lives.

Port Sudan's unique culture and climate make it difficult for outsiders to integrate. The summers from June to September are extremely hot and humid, and Eastern people have complex and strict structures on how men and women should interact and dress.

"Most of the displaced people have a more liberal attitude towards social interaction and clothing, which the Eastern people have not accepted," Alaa Sayed Gasim Abubakr, an architectural engineer from Port Sudan, tells OkayAfrica. "This has a notable effect on daily life."

The effects of the city's current overpopulation and traffic congestion are residents' biggest concern. "Port Sudan is a small city with limited and narrow streets. During the early stages of the war, when the airport was operationalized, the city became extremely congested, with travel times increasing from ten minutes to two hours," says Abubakr.

The influx of people tripled Port Sudan's rent prices, making Cairo a more affordable alternative and prompting many to continue their journey to Egypt instead. Some landlords demand payment in US dollars; the Sudanese pound severely depreciated against the dollar, leading to soaring inflation in fuel prices and other essential living necessities.

"This crisis emerged after the closure of essential goods factories in Khartoum and Madani, forcing traders to import most commodities from outside Sudan," Almuthanna Abdulmoneim Alryeih Abdulgabbar, an electrical engineer from Port Sudan, explains to OkayAfrica.

"Many people who are unable to afford rent have sought shelter in schools," he continues. This has created a significant teaching challenge, as students cannot use school buildings while refugees occupy them. Consequently, a general decision to suspend studies has been made."

While the war created a housing and education problem, it also exacerbated existing challenges of electricity and drinking water shortages. Port Sudan relies on water from collected dams and faces drought every summer. Floods damaged the water infrastructure, making it difficult to access clean water.

"Residents rely on desalination plants that treat groundwater, but some of these plants lack regulation, producing water that is not safe for drinking," says Abubakr. Recently, several new desalination plants were opened to help meet the city's water needs.

"The problem is that the city was not prepared to accommodate such a large number of residents," Mohamed El-Mahdi, an electronics engineer from Khartoum and Head of Office for the Sudanese Development Initiative in Red Sea State, says to OkayAfrica. "Most businesses and residents have come to rely on solar energy and electric generators."

El-Mahdi and Abubakr agree that, despite its challenges, Port Sudan has successfully accommodated the internationally displaced people. Some were welcomed and provided with food, shelter, and medicine, while others had to rely on themselves. This was mainly due to the residents' own precarious living conditions, which made some unable to help.

"To address electricity issues and rising costs, I think we need to upgrade the power distribution network and establish standardized distribution practices," says Abdulgabbar. "Concerning prices, government bodies should be responsible for controlling and monitoring them."

As the war rages on, SAF has been able to retake Khartoum and Madani, relieving Port Sudan of those who felt safe enough to return. "[The city] looks better now, with less congestion," says Abubakr. "Daily life has changed, with activity now constant day and night, making the day seem shorter than before. Working hours are longer, and some companies are even operating until evening."

One positive outcome of this situation has been the emergence of economic opportunities, with businesses from Khartoum relocating to Port Sudan and revitalizing commercial movement in the city.

"The relocation of several institutions and companies to Port Sudan has increased competition among locals to launch rival projects and venture into new areas such as import-export companies and real estate firms," says Abubakr. "Successful projects like restaurants and fast food outlets have proliferated, whereas before the war, there were only a few."

However, she cautions that their presence has created financial disparities among residents. "There is also a favoritism towards foreign employees in some institutions," she says.

Between infrastructure and social integration challenges, Port Sudan is undergoing significant changes that will likely outlast the duration of the war.

"It's been over a week since the last attack on Port Sudan," says Abdulgabbar. "The attack was done using drones. The sounds your grandmother heard came from ground-to-air missiles or anti-aircraft missiles."