Khartoum, October 01 (Darfur24)
The Central Bank of Sudan will withdraw all old 500-pound banknotes from circulation nationwide starting October 1, a move that could put pressure on communities in Kordofan and Darfur already facing severe cash shortages and limited access to banking services.
The bank said it will exchange the affected notes, issued in 2023 and earlier, at face value until December 31, 2026. The exchange will be conducted exclusively through deposits into bank accounts at commercial bank branches operating in Kordofan and Darfur.
The notes will lose their legal tender status from January 1, 2027, after which they will no longer be accepted for commercial transactions or settlement of debts.
The Central Bank urged residents, particularly in Kordofan and Darfur, to deposit the affected banknotes before the deadline.
The move comes as residents and displaced people in parts of eastern Jebel Marra are already struggling to obtain cash.
In Tawila, Murtal and surrounding areas controlled by the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdul Wahid Mohamed Nour, residents report severe shortages of banknotes and rising fees for converting bank transfers into cash.
Displaced people told Darfur24 that the shortage has made it increasingly difficult to purchase food and other necessities, with many families relying on money transfers to meet their daily needs.
Residents attributed the crisis partly to arrests of some money-transfer and agency operators by the movement’s intelligence service, as well as commissions imposed on transfers in areas under its control.
Last week, the Chamber of Commerce set a 15% commission for receiving cash through money transfers, according to residents. In informal markets in some areas of Jebel Marra, the cost of obtaining cash has reportedly risen to between 30% and 40%.
The high cost of accessing cash has also pushed up the effective cost of goods and basic commodities, further increasing the burden on displaced families.
A source in the Chamber of Commerce affiliated with the Civil Authority in Tawila previously told Darfur24 that the authority was considering setting a ceiling on transfer commissions in areas under its control.
The Central Bank’s requirement that old notes be exchanged through bank deposits could present an additional challenge in areas such as eastern Jebel Marra, where access to formal banking services is limited, and residents rely heavily on informal money-transfer networks.
Tawila is one of the major displacement hubs in Darfur, hosting people who have fled fighting in El Fasher and other parts of North Darfur.