Sudan prohibits all Kenyan imports after hosting RSF

Sudan suspended all imports from Kenya to protest after the Rapid Semi -Military Support (RSF), who are fighting the army in a two -year civil war, which was hosted in Nairobi.

Last month, RSF and political and armed groups of allied signed a founding charter in Kenya expressing the intention of forming a parallel government in Sudan.

The Sudanese military government said that the import ban was to preserve the country’s sovereignty and “protect its national security.”

The war -torn country imports many products from Kenya, including tea, food and pharmaceutical products.

“The import of all products coming from Kenya will be suspended through all ports, crossings, airports and ports from this day until further notice,” a decree issued by the Sudanese Ministry of Trade.

“All authorities related to enforcing the embargo immediately.”

Tensions between Kenya and Sudan escalate for several months.

Kenyan President William Roto faced widespread criticism at home for his close -up relationship with RSF.

Last month, Sudan recalled its ambassador to Kenya in protest against Nairobi’s involvement in a “conspiracy to establish a government” for RSF.

Sudan called on Kenya hosting the RSF “Tantamount to a hostility.”

But Kenya defended its role, saying that hosting the meetings was part of the efforts made to find solutions to end the war in Sudan “without any hidden motives.”

Both countries are traditionally with strong trade relations, as Kenya was an important partner for Sudan, especially in agriculture and manufacturing.

Kenya exports a group of goods to Sudan, where tea is the most important export, followed by coffee, tobacco and other products such as soap, electrical equipment and pharmaceutical preparations.

Tea is one of the most important foreign business owners in Kenya, and this step is expected to disrupt both commercial flows and the wider economy.

“This ban will be a big blow, and foreign work will achieve great success. This means that foreign currencies are lower and more exposed to financial services. It has a ripple effect that extends beyond just trade,” economist Ken Gitchinga told the BBC.

Sudan is one of the five best destinations for Kenyan tea and producers who are concerned about the effects of the ban.

The East East Tea Association (Eatta) expressed their concerns about the continuous contracts and shipments suspended in the transit.

“The tea is currently in Port Sudan, and many of the containers that were already sent were cut off on the high seas,” she said.

Large stocks cannot be charged in Mumbasa, Kenya.

The association warned: “This will lead to losses that cannot be understood by buyers and will flow to producers and farmers.”

The RSF El Basha Tebeg Adviser sought to reassure Kenya, saying X that the group “will ensure the smooth pathway of Kenyan goods to Sudan” in those areas it controls.

But Port Sudan is in the hands of the army and became the headquarters of the military government due to the fighting in Khartoum.

The Kenyan government has not yet commented, but the Minister of Agriculture Mawahi Kajoy recently said that his country was exploring diplomatic ways to face the challenges of reaching the market in Sudan.

Tea exports in Kenya have already been affected by the conflict there.

A modern report showed a 12 % decrease in Kenyan tea exports to Sudan during the past year.

The war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, caused widespread destruction, disrupting supply chains and reducing companies’ ability to work normally.

The border ports and crossings were vital to trade, either damage or obstruction due to violence, which greatly reduces the flow of goods between Sudan and its neighbors, including Kenya.

The conflict has destroyed large parts of Sudan – including the capital, a sheep – where thousands of people were killed and more than 12 million displacement, according to the United Nations.