Prime Minister Holds Expanded Meeting on Mining Regulation, Smuggling, and Drug Trafficking

Prime Minister Dr. Kamil Idris chaired an expanded meeting on Saturday involving a number of ministers and representatives of police and security agencies to discuss challenges related to regulating the mining sector, gold smuggling, drug trafficking, and ways to address them.
Minister of Information, Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Khalid Al-Eisir said in a press statement that the meeting commended the sincere efforts and sacrifices made by intelligence, police, and military agencies to protect the national economy. He explained that the meeting reviewed the dangers of drug smuggling through Sudanese territory, describing it as part of a multifaceted war targeting the Sudanese people, particularly the youth.
The minister said the meeting stressed the need to confront smuggling with firmness and to combat narcotics as a national security priority. It also emphasized the importance of activating information-sharing mechanisms among relevant state institutions and establishing specialized addiction treatment centers, with priority given to youth affected by the phenomenon. In a related context, Al-Eisir said the meeting also discussed the negative impacts of unregulated mining and associated activities, as well as measures required to mitigate their effects on public health and the environment. He added that the Prime Minister directed the removal of grinding mills and processing ponds located in residential neighborhoods and military areas, and ordered the urgent regulation of gold markets in production zones. He also instructed authorities to intensify public awareness campaigns on the dangers of unregulated mining and the materials used in gold extraction.
The meeting further stressed the need for the Ministry of Minerals to issue informational bulletins on the risks posed by chemical substances used in mining and to dispatch awareness teams to mining communities.
Al-Eisir added that the meeting underscored the importance of issuing identification cards for miners and directly educating them on the dangers of hazardous substances used in gold extraction, while praising the role miners play in supporting the national economy and emphasizing the importance of protecting the health and safety of workers in the mining sector.