Kenyan Tea Continues Flowing into Sudan Despite Official Ban

Amid escalating diplomatic and trade tensions between Sudan and Kenya, reports have revealed that Kenyan tea continues to find its way into Sudanese markets, despite an official ban imposed by Sudan’s Ministry of Trade on March 11.

According to Africa Intelligence, the prominent Sudanese company Coftea has been circumventing the trade restrictions by exporting Kenyan tea leaves to Egypt, where they are packaged and then re-exported to Sudan. This maneuver effectively bypasses Sudan’s import ban.

These developments follow remarks made by Kenyan President William Ruto, who stated that Kenya would continue exporting tea to Sudan. In response, the Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi issued a clarification on April 1, outlining Sudan’s official trade stance regarding Kenyan imports.

Coftea, known locally as Coftea Trading Company, is one of the major buyers at the Mombasa Tea Auction. Since the outbreak of conflict in Sudan, the company has relocated some of its operations to Shendi, while maintaining activity in other products such as coffee, sugar, and rice.

This situation highlights the challenges Sudanese authorities face in enforcing trade bans, particularly when large corporations exploit alternative routes to keep restricted goods flowing into the local market.