Sudan Scraps Border Fees to Ease Burden on Citizens

Sudan’s Prime Minister Kamil Idris has ordered the immediate removal of additional fees and taxes at border crossings, directing all relevant government bodies to enforce the decision without delay.

The directive, issued Friday, instructs authorities including the finance ministry, customs, tax agencies, and border administration to halt the collection of any new or unregulated charges. 

Idris said such fees have placed a heavy burden on citizens and worsened economic hardship, urging travelers not to pay any unauthorized costs.

The move follows recent measures imposed in Wadi Halfa, near the Egyptian border, where multiple charges had been applied to travelers. These included value-added fees, ticket stamps, and business-related charges, with total costs reaching tens of thousands of Sudanese pounds depending on the destination, in addition to fees on personal belongings.

The decision comes as Sudan continues to face a severe crisis following the outbreak of conflict in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The conflict, which erupted amid tensions over a political transition agreement, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced around 13 million people, many of whom have fled to neighboring countries. 

It has also triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to the United Nations and the African Union.