No restrictions on Sudan’s gold exports: minister

October 27, 2016 (KHARTOUM). Sudan’s Minister of Minerals Ahmed Sadiq al-Karouri on Thursday assured investors from Oman Sultanate that there are no restrictions on Sudanese gold export.

In August, Sudanese government said that it would take measures to avoid any possible ban by U.S Administration on Sudan’s gold exports. The measures include importing gold refinery and two factories to be able to sell the Sudanese gold directly in the international markets.

At the time, al-Karouri expected that Washington would try again to impose ban on Sudan’s gold exports after its failure to issue a decision form United Nations Security Council.

“All the mining companies working in Sudan are able to export their gold production without any restrictions,” al-Karouri told the Omani investors on Thursday, pointing that that U.S sanction impose restrictions on importing modern mining equipment and financial transactions.

The minister advised the Omani investors to manufacture minerals instead of exporting them as raw material to add value to the mineral products.

On his part, the Chairman of Board of Director of the Sudanese Omani Company for Investment, Siaf al-Salhi pointed that they are interested to invest in mining sector in Sudan and achieving good results soon.

In April, the Ministry of Minerals said that the country’s production of gold has risen by 3 percent compared to 2015, according to the first quarter of 2016 report.

Near 70% of the country’s gold production in 2015 was produced in the River Nile State. The traditional mining represents 90% of gold production in Sudan.

Sudan currently ranks third in gold production behind South Africa and Ghana but aims to be the biggest gold producing country in Africa by 2018.

(ST)