Sudan has imposed sweeping import bans on food, consumer goods, and industrial inputs, aiming to slow a relentless currency slide.
The directive, signed by Burhan-led government’s PM Kamil Idris, targets items deemed unnecessary, including biscuits, chocolates, plastic goods, fruits, rice, cement, toys, and raw materials.
Officials hope the restrictions will ease pressure on the Sudanese pound, which has sharply weakened amid economic strain and external shocks.
The currency has dropped roughly ten percent to 4,100 per dollar since late February, when regional conflict intensified uncertainty.
Sudan’s economy, already battered by three years of war, shows deep fractures, with industries shuttered and agricultural output severely diminished.
Smuggling of gold, the country’s main export, has surged, draining revenue streams and widening a trade deficit that continues to deepen.
Business leaders reacted swiftly, warning the policy risks concentrating market control and restricting access to essential goods.
Al-Sadig Jalaleldin, head of the chamber of importers, described the decision as flawed and harmful, cautioning it could create monopolies.
Government officials have yet to respond publicly, leaving uncertainty over implementation and potential revisions to the sweeping restrictions.
Meanwhile, shifting population dynamics add pressure, as millions displaced by conflict begin returning to central regions where stability has marginally improved.
Rising demand for food and construction materials now collides with tightening import limits, creating a delicate balance between recovery and restraint.
