Khartoum, (SUNA) – The Council of Ministers held an extraordinary meeting on Saturday, chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Kamil Idris and attended by regional governors and state Walis, to strengthen coordination between the federal government and the states on economic issues and measures related to citizens’ livelihoods.  Minister of Culture, Information, Antiquities and Tourism Khalid Al-Eisir said the meeting discussed a report by Justice Minister Dr. Abdullah Mohamed Dirif on preventing money collections not authorized under the 2026 budget laws. The meeting stressed coordination with the Federal Ministry of Finance even when fees are charged for services regulated by a state. The meeting also addressed mining-related fees and collections, emphasizing coordination with the Ministry of Minerals and the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company. It called for preventing charges on incoming goods and reiterated the decision to prohibit fuel fees, except those authorized by the Ministry of Energy. It also called for ending the practice of depositing collected funds into private accounts belonging to state employees. The Cabinet further reaffirmed the prohibition of all fees on national roads and called for adherence to previous decisions in this regard. The measures aim to curb unauthorized collections and reduce the cost and burden of living on citizens. The meeting stressed accelerating the implementation of the Hope Government’s plan for electronic collection, improving the overall collection system by the end of the year, and linking it to the Baldna platform to combat irregular collection practices. The meeting reviewed the availability of food commodities, discounted sales outlets and cooperatives, stressing the need to provide services that help ease living costs. It also called for stopping illegal levies on industrial products before they reach consumers, reducing prices, and strengthening oversight of markets and discounted sales centers nationwide. The Cabinet reviewed a report on the summer agricultural season and preparations for the winter season presented by Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Professor Ismat Gurashi Abdullah. The report highlighted challenges including rising production costs and Agricultural Bank financing for the targeted summer-season area. The ministry also reported progress in providing irrigation pumps and securing pesticides and aerial spraying services. The targeted winter-season area stands at 1.7 million feddans. The meeting also discussed currency replacement arrangements in North and South Kordofan. The Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan briefed the Cabinet on preparations and efforts to combat the circulation of counterfeit currency. The state intends to complete the currency replacement process, which has advanced in several states, and extend it to secure areas of North and South Kordofan. The Cabinet directed coordination between border-crossing authorities and the states to establish and improve controls governing cross-border trade. Al-Eisir said the meeting demonstrated the cohesion of the state and the effectiveness of its institutions, while providing an opportunity to strengthen consultation and coordination between the federal government and the states. The participants agreed to hold similar joint meetings between federal ministers and regional and state governors on a quarterly basis.BH/BH