The Sovereign Council of Sudan, under the leadership of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has announced an immediate and indefinite ban on all Kenyan imports, including tea. The directive, issued through Ministerial Resolution No. (6) of 2025, cites national sovereignty concerns and accuses Kenya of interfering in Sudanese internal affairs.
The decision follows reports that Kenya recently hosted representatives of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nairobi, a move perceived by Khartoum as tacit support for the RSF’s efforts to establish a parallel government. The RSF, a powerful paramilitary group, has been engaged in a prolonged conflict with Sudan’s military leadership since the collapse of the power-sharing transition in 2021. The rivalry intensified following the 2023 outbreak of full-scale hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF, plunging the country into widespread violence and political instability.
This latest economic measure reflects Sudan’s growing use of trade policies as a geopolitical tool. Kenya now joins the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) among key regional partners facing trade restrictions from Sudan due to foreign policy disagreements.
The ban is expected to have significant ramifications for Kenya’s tea industry, a vital sector of the country’s economy. Sudan has traditionally been a major consumer of Kenyan tea, with annual exports valued at billions of shillings. According to the Tea Board of Kenya, the country’s tea industry generated Ksh 250 billion (US$1.93 billion) in revenue in 2024, of which Ksh 215 billion (US$1.66 billion) came from exports. The sudden prohibition could disrupt this crucial trade and strain bilateral economic relations.
Observers suggest that Kenya’s diplomatic engagement with Sudanese factions underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics in the region. Whether this trade embargo will prompt diplomatic negotiations or further escalate tensions remains to be seen.
