Sudan has imposed a ban on all imports from Kenya following Kenya’s hosting of activities linked to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in late February.
A decree from Sudan’s Acting Minister of Trade and Supplies, Omar Ahmed Mohamed Ali, stated, “The import of all products from Kenya via all ports, crossings, airports, and entry points is suspended starting from this date until further notice.”
On February 22, the RSF and its affiliated political and armed groups signed a “political charter” in Nairobi, which outlined their plans to establish a “parallel government” in Sudan.
In the aftermath of the meeting, Sudan’s government condemned Kenya, accusing it of supporting the RSF and labeling it a “hostile act” and “blatant interference” in Sudan’s internal affairs, which they described as a violation of international charters and agreements.
Kenya’s Foreign Ministry, however, defended its actions, emphasizing that hosting the RSF event was in line with Kenya’s role in peace negotiations, providing a neutral platform for conflict parties to pursue resolution.
Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been mired in a violent conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF, resulting in at least 29,683 deaths, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a crisis monitoring organization.
