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South Sudan, Sudan Address Economic Crises

Viola Elias

   JUBA / WASHINGTON - South Sudan's central bank said Friday that
   it'¯planned to'¯ban the use of foreign currency nationwide to prevent
   further depreciation of the South Sudanese pound against the U.S.
   dollar after prices of food and other basic commodities have
   skyrocketed in recent weeks and months.

   Juba resident Saida Juan said'¯prices'¯were higher each time she
   headed'¯to the market. The mother of seven said a kilo of meat, which
   sold for 700 South Sudanese pounds a few months ago, now'¯costs 2,500
   South Sudanese pounds, an increase that means her family can afford to
   eat only green vegetables these days.

   She called on government officials to do everything in their power to
   stabilize prices.

   "Traders selling goods in the markets have been blaming the price
   hikes'¯on'¯the increase in the exchange rate of the South Sudanese
   pound and the U.S. dollar. My message to our leaders is that they
   should try by all means possible to not allow foreign currency to
   dominate our markets, because the dollar is not our currency. We are
   really suffering," Juan told South Sudan in Focus.

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