ABB pulls out of Sudan over political risks

Jan 5, 2006 (GENEVA) — ABB Ltd said it is halting its activities in Sudan because of the worsening political instability there.

Company spokesman Thomas Schmidt said that “currently, the risks outweigh the benefits” in Sudan, but that ABB would continue to monitor the situation with a view to restarting its operations there at a later date.

The Sudan divestment campaign, mounted by activists in the US to stop the conflict in Darfur, had been a lesser factor.

Sudan is mainly an export market for ABB, which acts as a supplier for the national power transmission grid, generating revenues of less than 20 mln usd per year, Schmidt said.

The company has just one employee in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, he added.

ABB is a Swiss firm working in power and automation technologies. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries

(AFX/ST)