Sudan suspended all imports from Kenya to protest after a paramilitary forces for fast support (RSF) were hosted in Nairobi, who fight against the army in a two -year civil war.
Last month, the RSF and its Allied political and armed groups signed a charter of establishment in Kenya, expressing the intention of forming a parallel government in Sudan.
The Sudan Military Government has announced that the prohibition of imports is to preserve the sovereignty of the country and “protect its national security”.
The land destroyed by war imports several products from Kenya, including tea, food products and pharmaceutical products.
“Importing all the products coming from Kenya through all ports, crossings, airports and ports will be suspended until today,” said the decree published by the Sudanese Ministry of Trade.
He ordered “all relevant authorities to immediately perform a ban.”
The tensions between Kenya and Sudan have been escalated for several months.
Kenyan President William Ruto faced wide criticism at home for his observed close ties with the RSF.
Last month, Sudan recalled his ambassador to Kenya in protest against the involvement of Nairobi in the “conspiracy to establish a government” for the RSF.
Sudan called the Kenyan host of the RSF meeting “by” extracting for hostility. ”
But Kenya defended her role, stating that the host of the meeting was part of the effort to find a solution to end the war in Sudan “without any ultimate motive.”
Both countries traditionally enjoyed strong trade relations, and Kenya was an important partner for Sudan, especially in agriculture and production.
Kenya exports a series of goods to Sudan, and tea was the most significant export, followed by coffee, tobacco and other products such as soap, electric equipment and medication.
Tea is one of the most significant foreign exchange earnings in Kenya, and this move is expected to disrupt both trade flows and wider economies.
“This ban will be a big blow and the foreign currency will hit. This would mean less foreign currency and greater exposure to financial services. It has a wave effect that extends beyond the store only,” Economist Ken Giching told BBC.
The Kenyan government has yet to comment on the ban, but Agriculture Minister Mutahi Kagwe recently said that his country was investigating diplomatic avenues to address the challenges of access to the market in Sudan.
The prohibition comes at a time when the export of tea of Kenya has already fought for the conflict in Sudan.
The recent report showed a 12% decrease in the export of Kenyan tea in Sudan over the last year.
The war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, caused broad destruction, disturbing the chains of supply and limiting the company’s ability to operate normally.
Luke and border crossings, vital for trade, violence are damaged or distracted, which significantly reduces the flow of goods between Sudan and his neighbors, including Kenya.
The conflict devastated large parts of Sudan – including the capital of Khartoum – with thousands of people killed and more than 12 million displaced, according to the United Nations.
