Importers’ Chamber: Al-Burhan’s Directives Should be Translsted into Explicit Decisions
Khartoum – Sudanhorizon
Al-Sadiq Jalal al-Din Salih, head of the National Chamber of Importers, has expressed the Chamber’s deep appreciation and gratitude to the Chairman of the Sovereign Council, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, for his attention to the serious repercussions of the import ban. The ban had caused market instability, inflicted severe damage on importers, and placed additional burdens on the shoulders of Sudanese people, who are already facing extremely difficult living conditions.
In press statements on wednesday the Chamber’s head noted that the organization highly values Al-Burhan’s direct intervention, which included a directive to lift the ban on the importation of goods and to exempt essential food items from customs duties.
Jalal al-Din stated that the National Chamber of Importers—which had consistently warned of the economic and social consequences since the ban was first imposed—views the Sovereign Council Chairman’s directive as a crucial step toward addressing the imbalances caused by the disastrous ban. He emphasized that this move would help restore the flow of goods, foster market competition, curb monopolies and unjustified price hikes, and put an end to the proliferation of smuggling, arbitrary exemptions, and backroom settlements—all of which have caused significant harm to the public.
The head of the Chamber stressed that the Sovereignty Council Chairman’s directive to lift the ban must be immediately translated into a clear and explicit decision by the Prime Minister, formally revoking Decision No. (74) regarding the import ban. This is a legal and administrative necessity to prevent conflicting interpretations, circumvention of the directive, or attempts to undermine it—particularly by those who were behind the original ban. He emphasized that if a decision to revoke the measure is not issued, the Chamber will continue its legal opposition to protect the interests of all its members, noting that the legal proceedings initiated by the Chamber in this regard have already reached an advanced stage. He affirmed that the Chamber’s recourse to the judiciary is part of its institutional and legal responsibility to defend the rights of its members, and that a formal decision to revoke the measure would bring an end to this dispute.
Jalal al-Din reiterated the Chamber’s appreciation for the directives issued by the Chairman of the Sovereign Council to exempt essential food commodities from customs duties. He stated: “This is a step that will reduce the costs and prices of goods, enhance people’s purchasing power , alleviate pressure on household budgets, and facilitate access to essential food items, which constitute a major part of daily expenditure.”
Furthermore, Jalal al-Din called on the Chairman of the Sovereign Council to intervene by restoring the “customs dollar” exchange rate back to its level prior to the increase, and to keep it fixed for at least one full fiscal year—given its direct impact on costs and its inflationary consequences. He also urged the cancellation of the Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) system in its current form, arguing that it imposes excessive burdens and high costs that far outweigh any benefits. These costs are ultimately borne by the people while the revenue flows to an unreliable foreign British company—a company that, moreover, gains access to data and sensitive information regarding all Sudanese imports.
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