Monitoring and inspections of cargo and processes

Sudan has no mandatory pre-shipment inspection. However, all importers need to be registered at the Import/Export Registry at the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Usually importers are advised to have a Pre-shipment Inspection Certificate issued by International cargo Inspectors registered by Sudanese Standards and Metrology Organization (SSMO). Therefore, importers or appointed agents must present SSMO requirements. 

Sudan does not apply any quantitative import registrations; all goods can be imported to Sudan except those goods that are prohibited by social values or security considerations. Sometimes a double check inspection might be conducted by the SSMO. 

For cargo clearance process; the SSMO must take a sample from all cargo, then send the sample of the selected items to the laboratory to be analysed, and finally issue a certificate upon approval.  

Export and Import Procedures - SSMO 

The SSMO prepares, adopts and applies the standard specifications for the local and imported products and services. SSMO objective is the protection of the national economy and the Sudanese population in the fields of health, environment, safety and commercial forgery.   

Concerning Sudanese imports, the role of SSMO is sequenced as follows:  

1. Preparation of standard specifications and their approval.  
2. Coordination with the related bodies (Bank of Sudan, Ministry of the Foreign Trade and the Businessmen Association). These bodies are provided with standard specifications to guarantee the arrival of goods that are in conformity with Sudanese standards.   
3. To implement standard specifications on imports in all country’s entry points to ensure conformity and respect these specifications.   

The procedures undertaken by Port Sudan branch for the Sudanese imports begin with the concept of Conformity assessment as follows:  

1. Procedures starts with checking and inspecting all documents, which are submitted for any operation whether technical or commercial. This process makes sure that requirements of trade and standard specifications are fulfilled, depending on the type of the imports, as follows: 
   1. The imports of regulated products, requires special documents (the certificate of international surveyor) and it is usually subjected to conditional temporary release system.  
   2. Imports that requires cooperation with competent Bodies, such as pesticides, seeds and drugs …etc.  
   3. Imports specific to some Institutes and Ministries (e.g. the Ministry of Energy).   
   4. General diverse imports.  
2. Field and physical inspection to make sure for the general status of the consignment and the conformity of the label card with the submitted documents.    
3. Withdrawal of samples for laboratory analysis procedures to ensure its compliance to standard specifications.  
4.  Issuing of conformity or non-conformity certificate according to the above-mentioned procedures.  

Other Activities: 

1. To present a complete set of services for the above-mentioned stages in the State entry points in Osefe, Sawakin, free zone Area, Southern ports, Northern ports and laboratories at headquarters aiming to facilitate trade and to gain customer satisfaction by implementing the various quality systems.   
2. Starting to link all these areas electronically so as to reduce time of release and to facilitate the flow of trade, besides the complete cooperation with the related bodies at the Seaports.  
3. Effective participation with the Consultative Council which embraces the Ministry of Cabinet, the Seaports Society (Seaport Authority, Customs and all Regulatory bodies, and Ship agents).  
4. To enforce Resolution no. 119 year 2008, which aimed at facilitating the flow of exports and imports through a single window system, and to unify all regulatory bodies under one single umbrella.  

Export procedures - SSMO         

1. Review of commercial documents issued by the related bodies such as the Bank of Sudan, Ministry of foreign trade (export contract).    
2. Review of technical documents issued from multiple bodies according to the type of export:  
   1. Health Certificate for the live animals and sorting leather.  
   2. Certificate issued from Geology Corporation for minerals.  
   3. Animal Resource Certificate for fish.     
   4. Sieving Certificate for exported seeds.  
   5. Steaming Certificates for agricultural crops issued by Plant Quarantine Administration. 
3. Field inspection for exports and ensure their conformity to standard specifications.  
4. Monitoring and follow-up of sieving of exported seeds and ensure conformity label cards to standard specifications. 
5. Subject Sudanese exports to laboratory analysis in addition to the field inspection to ensure compliance to standard specifications and thereby issue the certificate of conformity.  
6. Taking into account the terms of contracts agreed upon between buyer and seller and ensure their implementation. 
7. Follow up the final packaging of exports into containers and ships.  

General observations:  

1. The implementation of guidelines and regulations issued by international organizations such as ISO, Codex, AIDMO, WTO, etc. must be ensured.  
2. Accreditation of laboratories especially for the Sudanese exports is to be considered. 
3. Rehabilitation and training of human resources to cope up with international techniques and implement the electronic system in applications and procedures to reduce the release time for imports and exports is needed.  
4. Implementation of quality systems is needed.  

Guide for Conformity Assessment - Procedure & Standards Purchase 

Primary Conformity Assessment

Primary procedure refers to a process aimed at checking if the documents of a certain product are compliant with Sudanese standards. 

Requested Documents 

Mandatory Documents:  

1. Request for Conformity Assessment 
   1. The request must be in headed paper and stamped 
   2. The request must be addressed to the manager of standards department  
   3. The request must be checked for compliance and purpose to apply C.A.P to the product
2. Certificate of Analysis (or Catalogue of Technical Standards in the case of equipment, and machines). It is given when the conformity assessment has been performed. 
   1. The certificate must be in headed paper and stamped, including the name & address of the lab where the analysis was performed 
   2. Certificate must contain name of product meant for conformity assessment  
   3. Date of issue of the certificate must be clearly defined. 
   4. Country of origin must be clearly stated. 
   5. Catalogue of Technical Standards must contain a full description of the product, indicate the name of the manufacturing company and indicate the country where it was produced. 

Non-Mandatory Documents:

1. A proforma invoice stating the name of product and the compliance with the Certificate of analysis or the Catalogue of Technical standards.  

Additional Documents: 

This kind of documents is specific to certain food commodities in addition to the above-mentioned documents.  

• A permit from ministry of Animal Resources & Fishery
• A health certificate authenticated from a Sudanese Embassy in the exporting country
• A certificate for shelf life (either separate or included in the above documents)
• Certificate of radiation analysis
• Certificate for Halal slaughter from the origin (in case of chicken & red meat) 
• Certificate of freedom from GMO
• Trading invoice 

Steps to be taken for the Conformity Assessment certificate: 

1. Registering the order
2. Pay the required fee
3. If the product is not compliant to the standards, the case will be will be submitted to the Technical Committee for consultation.

If the product is compliant to the standards, procedure takes 24hrs. When the conformity of the product is submitted to a technical committee, the procedure may be longer.  

For more information on regulatory departments and quality control laboratories’ contact details, please see the following links: 

4.1 Sudan Government Contact List

4.3 Sudan Laboratory and Quality Testing Companies Contact List