SUDAN · ECONOMY
Published Tuesday, 27 October, 10:11 a.m. ET · Source: Office of the Prime Minister of Sudan, Sudanese customs and finance authorities
Key Facts
- —Who Prime Minister Kamil Idris, head of Sudan's army-aligned transitional government, signed the decisions.
- —What Eight staple foods were exempted from customs duties and value-added tax, and import restrictions on dozens of goods were lifted.
- —Where The measures apply to imports entering Sudan, though practical reach in areas outside government control is unclear.
- —When The decisions were signed on Monday, October 26, 2026; no precise issuance time or time zone was given.
Customs Relief
Sudan's Prime Minister Kamil Idris signed decisions on Monday, October 26, 2026, exempting eight staple foods from customs duties and taxes, including value-added tax. The exempted goods are flour, lentils, rice, fava beans, cooking oils, beans, chickpeas and green peas.
The Council of Ministers said the measure was intended to reduce citizens' cost-of-living burden and ensure the availability of essential commodities. The implementation order assigns responsibilities to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Sudan Customs Forces, the General Intelligence Service and other relevant authorities.
Import Ban Lifted
A separate decision lifted an import ban on dozens of commodities.
Wartime Pressures
Sudan's war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces has pushed food prices up and divided authority between the army-aligned government and areas held by the RSF. The authorities presented the decisions as a cost-of-living and food-availability measure.
The available reports contain no independently documented reactions from consumer groups, traders, importers, opposition parties, humanitarian agencies or the Rapid Support Forces. There is also no reported evidence yet that retail prices have fallen or that imports have resumed at scale.
What Is Not Known
It is not known how fast customs will apply the exemption or whether it covers areas outside government control. The reports do not say when customs offices must begin applying the measures or how implementation will be coordinated across government-controlled crossings.
The duration of the measures is not reported, and no expiry date or review mechanism has been disclosed. The government has also not publicly quantified lost customs and tax revenue or projected price reductions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which foods are exempted from customs duties and VAT in Sudan?
The exempted goods are flour, lentils, rice, fava beans, cooking oils, beans, chickpeas and green peas. The decision was signed by Prime Minister Kamil Idris on Monday, October 26, 2026.
Why did Sudan lift import restrictions on dozens of goods?
Authorities said the move aims to reduce the cost-of-living burden and ensure the availability of essential commodities. It follows an earlier import ban on more than 40 goods in 2026.
Does the customs exemption apply in all of Sudan?
The decisions were issued by the army-aligned transitional government, but their practical reach in areas outside government control is unclear.
Sources: Office of the Prime Minister of Sudan, Sudanese customs and finance authorities.
More: Brazil news, every day from The Rio Times.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
Horn of Africa and the Red Sea
- Horn of Africa 2026: Why It Matters and Who Backs Whom
- Ethiopia’s Neighbors Explained, Ports, Eritrea, Somalia
- Eritrea Explained 2026, a Red Sea Country Guide
- Somalia Explained: Al-Shabaab, Somaliland, the Ports and the Fight Over a 2026 Vote