Head of Importers Chamber to Sudanhorizon: Government’s Shift to Negative Import Lists Recycles Failed Policies

Sudanhorizon – Nazik Shammam

The National Chamber of Importers has confirmed its rejection of any policy that bans the import of goods or imposes negative import lists under the pretext of reducing demand for foreign currency, rebalancing the trade balance, or supporting local industry.

The head of the National Chamber of Importers, Al-Sadiq Jalal Al-Din, expressed regret over the government’s move toward banning certain goods. In an exclusive statement to Sudanhorizon, he said: “This is an attempt to repeat failed experiments and recycle failure, as this policy has been tried several times before and has failed miserably—in fact, it has produced results opposite to its intended goals.”

Jalal Al-Din explained that addressing trade balance imbalances through negative import lists is a flawed and inadequate approach. He questioned the basis on which such goods are selected, noting that such bans only lead to increased smuggling, evasion, and the expansion of the shadow economy. As a result, these goods continue to flow through informal channels at higher prices, while the state loses significant revenues—especially since many of these goods are subject to customs duties and fees that exceed their global prices.

He pointed out that banning imports will not reduce demand for the US dollar, as the prohibited goods will inevitably be imported through unofficial channels.

He also questioned whether there is truly a trade balance deficit, considering that more than 55 tons of gold have been exported but are not reflected in official figures.

Jalal Al-Din added: “We support local industry, but this should not come at the cost of eliminating competition by banning the import of certain goods.”

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