Exports Forum Convenes in Port Sudan

Sudanhorizon- Hala Hamza

The Sudanese Exports Forum, organized by the National Chamber of Exporters, will convene at 11:00 AM tomorrow (Monday) in Port Sudan. Prime Minister Dr. Kamil Idris will be in attendance.

The forum aims to develop a comprehensive vision and a matrix of solutions to overcome the war’s impact on the export sector, along with a five-year plan to increase production, enhance exports, and boost industrial exports.

The forum is a joint initiative of the Ministries of Industry and Trade, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, and the Exporters’ Chamber.

Exporter and producer Samir Al-Taqi Al-Bahloul, speaking to Sudanhorizon, stressed the need for the forum to discuss removing export restrictions, exempting exports from fees and charges, and opening export routes for goods including corn, livestock, gold, Gum Arabic, oil-seeds, vegetables, and fruits, while establishing binding regulations for the repatriation of export proceeds.

Exporter Khaled Mohammed called on the forum to focus on the importance of strictly enforcing regulations governing deferred payment transactions in general, including exports, foreign contracts, deferred sales by bill of exchange, and payments against documents.

He also emphasized the need to require banks to secure sufficient guarantees for the execution of deferred payment contracts, as their misapplication by commercial banks has led to significant problems, such as the misuse of commercial records for smuggling goods.

He called for an investigation into the staggering amounts of export revenue lost by the state treasury since the start of the war on April 15, 2023, due to commercial banks manipulating export proceeds and the inability of the Central Bank and the executive branch to control these practices.

He also highlighted the need to address the widespread forgery that occurred during the years of the war in export forms used to export large quantities of agricultural crops and livestock, resulting in the loss of billions of dollars to the state treasury despite the commendable efforts of the Supply Investigations and Economic Security Departments.

He questioned the fate of the revenues that slipped from the state treasury and the individuals, companies, and institutions that committed forgery and failed to return these proceeds.

The head of the forum’s organizing committee, Issam Fadlallah, stated in a press release that the Exporters Chamber is organizing this important economic event at this time to emphasize the role of the export sector in supporting the Sudanese economy and ensuring the continuation of foreign trade to overcome the devastation caused by the war.

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