Sudan’s Ambassador to Beijing: We Need to Capitalize on China’s Customs Exemption for African Exports

Beijing – Sudanhorizon – Osama Mukhtar

Sudan’s Ambassador to China, Omar Issa Ahmed, participated in a retreat organized by the African Union for African ambassadors accredited to the People’s Republic of China. The retreat, held in Beijing from April 23-24, 2026, was under the them “Taking Advantage of China’s 100% Customs Exemption Offer to Support Development and Prosperity in Africa.”

In a statement to this reporter, Ambassador Omar Issa said that the retreat brought together a select group of ambassadors and permanent representatives from African countries, along with officials from the African Union Commission, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and representatives from relevant Chinese government agencies. He added that the discussions emphasized the importance of strengthening joint African coordination to maximize the benefits of the Chinese initiative, which grants 100% customs exemption on exports from eligible African countries, and which will come into effect on May 1, 2026. This will contribute to expanding access to Chinese markets and boosting trade and investment.
The ambassador added that the retreat also addressed ways to align this initiative with the priorities of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063, thereby promoting industrialization and economic transformation on the continent, particularly in the areas of agriculture, manufacturing, regional value chains, and the establishment of special economic zones.
Participants in the retreat stressed that this initiative represents an unprecedented strategic opportunity to support development in Africa by increasing productive capacities, improving export quality, and strengthening continental economic integration within the framework of an African-Chinese partnership based on shared interests and mutual benefit.
During his participation in the retreat, the Sudanese ambassador to China emphasized the importance of leveraging this initiative to boost Sudanese exports to the Chinese market, especially in the agricultural and mining sectors, thereby supporting economic development efforts and generating added value for the national economy. The participants called for a shift from policy to practical implementation, through the development of financing mechanisms, information exchange, and capacity building, stressing the need to enable African states to make the most of partnership opportunities with China.

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