US appoints new charge d’ affaires to Sudan

May 1, 2009 (WASHINGTON) – The US has tapped a new diplomat to head its mission in the East African state of Sudan, according to a news report.

The London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper quoting sources at the State department said that Robert Whitehead will become the new charge d’ affaires effective May 1st to replace Alberto Fernandez who headed this post since 2007.

The US mission in Khartoum has been headed by a lower level official since 2002. The last time an ambassador was in Khartoum was in 1996 before the US closed the embassy.

US imposed comprehensive sanctions in Sudan since 1997 and stiffened them during Bush administration. It also designated Sudan as a state that sponsors terrorism.

However recently under the new Obama administration there have been signs that relations between the two countries are moving towards normalization. US officials have hinted their readiness to partially lift sanctions and remove Sudan from the list of countries that sponsor terrorism.

Sudan has been pushing Washington towards a full upgrade of diplomatic relations and appointing an official at an ambassador level.

The US State Department website shows that Whitehead served before at the US embassy in Sudan as well as in Zimbabwe.

(ST)