Government Bans Import of 45 Goods to Curb Decline of the Sudanese Pound

Sudanhorizon – Nazik Shamam

On Monday, the Sudanese Council of Ministers decided to ban the import of a group of luxury and non-essential goods, in a move aimed at curbing the depreciation of the Sudanese pound against foreign currencies.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Kamel Idris, issued a decision to prohibit the import of forty-five essential and non-essential goods in an effort to reduce demand for foreign currency.

The list of banned items includes ready-made dairy products, jams, processed meats, raw materials for companies, instant noodles, cement, ceramics, and porcelain, in addition to other goods.

The National Chamber of Importers had previously expressed its firm rejection of import bans or the imposition of “negative lists,” arguing that justifying such measures as a way to reduce demand for foreign currency, restore balance to the trade balance, or support local industry is an inaccurate approach.

The head of the National Chamber of Importers, Al-Sadiq Jalal Al-Din, expressed regret over the government’s move toward prohibition policies. In an exclusive statement to Sudanhorizon, he said: “These decisions represent a recycling of failure, as they are policies that have been tried repeatedly in the past and have proven to fail miserably, even producing results completely opposite to the intended goals.”

Jalal Al-Din explained that addressing the imbalance in the trade balance through the imposition of negative lists is a flawed and inadequate approach, questioning the criteria used to determine those goods.

He added that prohibition policies only contribute to increased smuggling, tax evasion, and the expansion of the shadow economy, leading to the flow of these goods through unofficial channels at inflated prices.

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