Sudan, U.S. to discuss permanent lift of sanctions in Washington
April 16, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Finance Minister Badr al-Din Mahmoud and the U.S. Charge d’Affaires in Khartoum Steven Koutsis, Sunday have discussed ongoing arrangements to hold talks in Washington on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank between Sudanese officials and several American agencies to discuss the permanent lift of sanctions.
Next June, several U.S. administration agencies will decide to confirm the decision of President Obama to permanently lift sanctions on Sudan or to maintain it.
According to the official news agency SUNA, Mahmoud and Koutsis agreed to hold a meeting between Sudan’s delegation and the IMF and World Bank officials to brief the latter on the recent economic, social and political developments in Sudan.
They also agreed to arrange meetings between the Sudanese delegation and a number of U.S. departments and agencies including Treasury, Trade and State departments besides the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to discuss economic issues pertaining to Sudan.
This year’s spring meetings events will take place in Washington from April 21 to 23.
Following the meeting, Mahomud told reporters the Sudanese and American sides “will discuss the permanent lift of U.S. sanctions imposed on Sudan” besides ways to attract technical assistance to complete Sudan’s comprehensive poverty reduction strategy.
He called on the international community to support Sudan’s economic reform efforts and assist his country to fully integrate into the global economy.
According to SUNA, the Sudanese minister briefed Koutsis on the developments in economic performance, pointing to computerization of financial operations to secure revenue collection and control public expenditure.
He also urged the U.S. diplomat to support Sudan’s efforts to create cooperation between the private sector and the foreign sectors in order to support production and develop capacities of the national economy.
Mahmoud pointed the joint discussions aims to support the positive developments in the social, economic and political fields and promote Sudan’s role to achieve regional stability through combating terrorism and illegal migration.
For his part, Koutsis underscored cooperation with Sudan to develop its economic capacities, pointing to the importance of transparency in economic performance.
According to SUNA, the American diplomat praised the performance of the Sudanese economy and the economic reform efforts besides the significant developments in the security and stability in the country.
It is noteworthy that the East African nation remains on the U.S. terror list since August 12, 1993. Khartoum at the time was accused of harbouring al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
(ST)