KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Foreign airlines are struggling to cope with currency restrictions in Sudan that prevent them repatriating their profits and analysts say they could eventually be forced to stop flying there if restrictions persist.
Sudan is deep in economic crisis, with inflation soaring after the central bank was forced to effectively devalue the Sudanese pound last year and introduced restrictions on moving foreign currency outside the country to battle forex shortages.
The Sudan manager of German airline Lufthansa, Hartmut Volz, told Reuters on Thursday the airline industry was being hit hard, with millions of dollars in revenue stuck inside Sudan.
"All airlines are facing the same problem," he said, adding Lufthansa would decide what to do with its Sudan operation -- a tiny portion of their global network -- in April.
"We are talking to the central bank and to our bank but there is no chance to get the money out at the time being," Volz said.
Emirates , the Arab world's largest carrier began to restrict ticket sales inside Sudan because of the forex shortages. Foreigners must now pay in hard currency or by credit card and Sudanese by credit card only, which will reduce traffic because few Sudanese have credit cards.
"Many airlines will have to close down (in Sudan) if this continues," said economist and former finance ministry official Hassan Satti. "The foreign currency situation is not going to improve." About a dozen foreign airlines fly to Sudan.
Sudanese law prevents airlines selling to nationals in foreign currency and U.S. sanctions imposed since 1997 stops credit card transactions, which leaves few options open to airlines other than to reduce or stop operations
Sudan is deep in economic crisis, with inflation soaring after the central bank was forced to effectively devalue the Sudanese pound last year and introduced restrictions on moving foreign currency outside the country to battle forex shortages.
The Sudan manager of German airline Lufthansa, Hartmut Volz, told Reuters on Thursday the airline industry was being hit hard, with millions of dollars in revenue stuck inside Sudan.
"All airlines are facing the same problem," he said, adding Lufthansa would decide what to do with its Sudan operation -- a tiny portion of their global network -- in April.
"We are talking to the central bank and to our bank but there is no chance to get the money out at the time being," Volz said.
Emirates , the Arab world's largest carrier began to restrict ticket sales inside Sudan because of the forex shortages. Foreigners must now pay in hard currency or by credit card and Sudanese by credit card only, which will reduce traffic because few Sudanese have credit cards.
"Many airlines will have to close down (in Sudan) if this continues," said economist and former finance ministry official Hassan Satti. "The foreign currency situation is not going to improve." About a dozen foreign airlines fly to Sudan.
Sudanese law prevents airlines selling to nationals in foreign currency and U.S. sanctions imposed since 1997 stops credit card transactions, which leaves few options open to airlines other than to reduce or stop operations
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