KHARTOUM: Sudan declared an economic state of emergency on Thursday after its currency fell sharply in recent weeks due to "systematic vandalism," officials said.
The transitional government, in charge of the country since the ouster of Omar Al-Bashir last year, will set up special courts in the next days to fight smuggling and other illicit activities undermining the economy, officials told a televised news conference.
The pound had fluctuated drastically in recent days, prompting major food suppliers to halt distribution of their products and pushing prices of food up between 50% and 100% at supermarkets and retailers, a Reuters witness said.
It comes at a time of record Nile River flooding that has left tens of thousands of people homeless. The government said it had allocated more than 150 million Sudanese pounds ($2.73 million) to help flood victims, the state news agency reported.
The government under Bashir had previously tried to crack down on the black-market traders by arresting some of them, but others remained persistent. The currency has been devalued four times since 2018.
Inflation in Sudan is second only to that of Venezuela, with the headline rate climbing to 143.78% in July from 136.36% in June.
Security forces would also step up controls at borders and airports to stop a smuggling of commodities such as gold, officials said.
Sudan declares state of economic emergency due to fall of currency
https://arab.news/gtdw2
Sudan declares state of economic emergency due to fall of currency
- It comes at a time of record Nile River flooding that has left tens of thousands of people homeless
- The currency has been devalued four times since 2018
Iran offers concessions on nuclear program
- Atomic energy chief says it will dilute enriched uranium if US eases sanctions
TEHRAN: Iran offered on Monday to dilute its highly enriched uranium if the US lifts sanctions.
Mohammad Eslami, head of the country’s Atomic Energy Organization, did not specify whether this included all sanctions on Iran or only those imposed by the US.
The new move follows talks on the issue in Oman last week that both sides described as positive and constructive.
Diluting uranium means mixing it with blend material to reduce the enrichment level, so that the final product does not exceed a given enrichment threshold.
Before US and Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities in June last year, Iran had been enriching uranium to 60 percent, far exceeding the 3.67 percent limit allowed under the now-defunct nuclear agreement with world powers in 2015.
According to the UN’s nuclear watchdog, Iran is the only state without nuclear weapons that is enriching uranium to 60 percent.
The whereabouts of more than 400 kg of highly enriched uranium that Iran possessed before the war is also unknown. UN inspectors last recorded its location on June 10. Such a stockpile could allow Iran to build more than nine nuclear bombs if enrichment reached 90 percent.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Iranians on Monday to resist foreign pressure.
“National power is less about missiles and aircraft and more about the will and resolve of the people,” Khamenei said. “Show it again and frustrate the enemy.”
Nevertheless, despite this defiance, Iran has signaled it could come to some kind of deal to dial back its nuclear program and avoid further conflict with Washington.
