U.S. congressional delegation to visit Sudan next week: official

November 4, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The speaker of the Sudanese parliament Ibrahim Ahmed Omer on Wednesday said that a delegation from the US Congress will arrive in Khartoum next week to discuss issues such as counter-terrorism, economic sanctions and security issues of concern to Washington.

MP Mohamed Yousif Abdullah said the upcoming visit is the beginning of official business between the two countries’ parliaments and expected it to yield positive results that would open new horizons to address the outstanding issues between Khartoum and Washington.

Washington recently renewed its economic and trade sanctions imposed on Sudan in 1997 in response to its alleged connection to terror networks and human rights abuses.

Sudan’s foreign ministry expressed deep regret over the renewal saying the move violates the international legitimacy.

The international cooperation minister Kamal Hassan Ali told the parliament that he met with the US charge d’affaires and asked him to revive aid programs.

He explained that the US aid is currently limited to humanitarian portion and that the government would like different programs.

Ali said it was his understanding from the discussion that any such change is contingent upon improvement of political relations between the two countries.

The minister urged the executive and legislative organs to push for such improvement.

(ST)