Sudan is not invited to U.S. African summit

November 23, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The White House excluded Sudanese military leaders from U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit which will be attended by leaders from across the continent in Washington next month.

The meeting aims to foster trade and develop bilateral beneficial partnerships to promote investment, create jobs through expanded role for small- and medium-sized businesses and focus on women and equity.

Dana Banks, Senior Adviser for Africa at the White House National Security Council, told reporters on Tuesday that President Biden has invited 50 of 54 African leaders for a three-day summit scheduled for 13-15 December.

In response to a question about the invited countries, Bank said they did not invite the countries that the African Union suspended its membership.

“In our rubric for the – for extending invitations we followed our African Union sort of colleagues as a guide in terms of inviting those countries who are in good standing with the African Union,” she said.

The national security senior adviser added that Mali, Burkina Faso, Sudan, and Guinea were not extended invitations.

The White House, however, plans to invite civil society members from these countries to the civil society forum and “perhaps in some other engagements that are planned”.

After a military coup led by General Abdel Fatah al-Burhan Washington suspended economic support and paused several measures aiming to end the effects of economic sanctions on Sudan imposed against the former regime.

In Washington, policymakers say such economic partnership would allow U.S. businessmen to have a presence in Africa where the Chinese and European countries are competing across the continent.

The other goal of expanding business ties with Africa is to “reinvigorate Prosper Africa as the centrepiece of U.S. economic and commercial engagement with Africa,” Banks stated last July.

(ST)