Sudan: ‘Contractors Have the Freedom to Do What They Want’

An oil-fuelled construction boom is giving Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, an ever shinier veneer. However, some fear that this building spree is taking place at environmental cost.

“The construction industry is changing land use. They’re cutting the green areas in Khartoum and creating residential areas. It’s not very well planned, and is already having a negative impact on the quality of water and soil. The long term danger is that it will lead to water scarcity and other socio-economic and health impacts,” says Mohamad Elmuntasir Ahmed, professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at Khartoum University.
In the absence of guidelines to regulate which building products can be imported, certain contractors are using hazardous materials, he adds.

“These materials will introduce chemicals that can harm the environment and the health of residents. We find that flame retardants used in construction are sources of toxins that can be transferred through the mother’s breast milk to infants. It can also cause cancer. The atmospheric environment is also affected by these chemicals.”

Furthermore, “Construction trends currently allow for too much space between buildings. If buildings are built closer to each other they could conserve cool air better. But they’re not and that means we need more electricity to keep air-conditioning running to keep buildings cool. That also creates more pollution,” says Ahmed, who also serves as a consultant with the university’s environmental watch group, and has worked on feasibility studies for various construction projects in Sudan, ranging from factories to foreign embassies.

AllAfrica