New Regulations for Organizing Foreign Trade

The Ministry of Commerce and Supply has issued new regulations for exports and imports to better organize foreign trade. According to the general export guidelines, items should not be prohibited for export, and the exporting company or trade name should not be a national company or hold an investment license. Additionally, the company should not have any prior criminal convictions related to export activities or be under a comprehensive banking ban.

The regulations emphasize the importance of presenting a genuine export contract signed by both the exporter and importer and authenticated by the Sudanese embassy or the commercial chamber in the importing country. This contract serves as the primary document for all banking and customs procedures.

The guidelines also restrict any modifications to contract details by entities involved in export activities without first consulting the Ministry of Commerce and Supply. For certain specialized goods, the regulations require permits from the relevant authorities: for example, cotton exports need a sorting certificate, while mining and gemstone exports require authorization from the Ministry of Minerals. Similarly, investment project exports require approval from the Ministry of Investment, camel exports need clearance from the Ministry of Animal Resources, and wildlife exports require approval from the General Directorate of Wildlife.

Furthermore, the guidelines allow the re-export of imported goods if a contract or export license is issued based on an application specifying the purpose, item, quantity, destination, and relevant bank details. Export guidelines also permit re-exports for investment projects under conditions specified in the Export Operations Regulation. The allowed export value for gifts and samples is set at $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for businesses.

For imports, the regulations require a valid import-export registration certificate and prohibit the import of banned items. Companies with prior criminal convictions or comprehensive bans on import-export operations are also restricted. Personal-use goods valued under $3,000 are exempt from commercial import classification; these include gifts, samples, and imports by international organizations or diplomatic missions.

Goods exceeding $3,000 are classified as commercial imports, with importers required to submit import requests to the Ministry of Commerce and Supply. The regulations ban the import of used clothing and tires. For personal belongings, the total value should not exceed $3,000, and quantities should not be commercially significant. Personal effects are to be treated in accordance with the Ministry of Finance’s regulations.

Official approvals from relevant state authorities are necessary for imports by registered foreign organizations, and items imported by diplomatic missions or UN organizations require approvals from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.