Suakin’s Revival: Ancient Red Sea Port Reawakens Amid Sudan’s Ongoing Conflict
SUAKIN, Feb 1, 2026 — Amid Sudan’s prolonged political and military turmoil, the historic port city of Suakin is showing signs of revival as restoration teams work to preserve its fading architectural and cultural heritage.
Once known as the “White City” for its distinctive coral-stone buildings, Suakin was for centuries a major trading hub and transit point along the Red Sea. Over time, shifting trade routes, colonial policies, and armed conflict left the city in decline.
Mayor Abu Mohamed El-Amin Artega said Suakin holds immense historical and cultural value for Sudan and the wider region.
“For generations, this city connected merchants, pilgrims, and travellers from different continents,” he said.
Today, amid crumbling mosques and abandoned homes, local restoration teams are striving to bring parts of the ancient town back to life.
The project is led by the Safeguarding Sudan’s Living Heritage from Conflict and Climate Change (SSLH) association, with funding from the British Council and support from UNESCO.
Project engineer Ahmed Bushra said Suakin once welcomed large numbers of tourists before the war disrupted travel and investment.
“When peace returns, we hope visitors will come back and rediscover this place,” he said.
Architecture student Doha Abdelaziz Mohamed, who is part of the restoration team, described Suakin’s buildings as remarkable examples of traditional craftsmanship.
“The construction techniques used here are rarely seen today. Preserving them is essential for our cultural identity,” she said.
According to the Rome-based ICCROM, Suakin served as a major crossroads for trade, pilgrimage, and migration for hundreds of years.
Its decline accelerated in 1905 when British authorities developed a deeper commercial port in Port Sudan, prompting merchants and residents to relocate.
Despite this, the Artega tribe, which has administered the city for centuries, remained in Suakin.
Renewed hope emerged in the 1990s with the launch of passenger ferry services to Jeddah, operated by Tarco.
In 2017, former president Omar al-Bashir granted Turkey a 99-year lease to redevelop the old port under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Several historic buildings were restored before the project stalled in 2019.
Tourism collapsed entirely in 2023 when fighting broke out between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces, forcing cruise operators and divers to abandon the area.
Today, rusting ships and deserted buildings dominate the lagoon, reflecting years of instability.
Nevertheless, Bushra remains hopeful that the restoration of a historic mosque housing a Sufi tomb will help revive Suakin’s cultural life.
He envisions the site hosting traditional music festivals and community events once renovation is complete.
“When this place is restored, tourists will return,” he said.
For residents, the revival of Suakin represents more than physical reconstruction. It symbolises resilience, identity, and the determination to preserve history despite war and uncertainty.
-wilayah.com.my
