Sudan factories struggle to restart after devastating wartime losses

Khartoum, Sudan – Mansour Gaily’s factory in Khartoum produced sweets for local consumers and provided employment for workers. But when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, production ground to a halt, like thousands of other businesses across the country. More than three years later, Gaily faces the challenge of bringing his business back to life.

Production may have resumed, but the factory is only operating at 40 percent of its previous capacity. “Our losses are estimated at $1m,” Gaily told Al Jazeera. “We lost some machinery, spare parts, and needed to rebuild large parts of the factory.” Gaily’s troubles are typical of Sudan’s devastated manufacturing sector .

Before the war, Khartoum was one of the country’s main industrial centres, home to factories producing food, textiles and other consumer goods.