African Union summit to formally demand Washington to lift Sudan sanctions
January 23, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – A senior Sudanese diplomat has said the economic sanctions imposed by Washington on Sudan hampers the African Union’s (AU) ability to carry out its tasks.
Washington imposed economic and trade sanctions on Sudan in 1997 in response to its alleged connection to terror networks and human rights abuses. In 2007 it strengthened the embargo, citing abuses in Darfur which it labelled as genocide.
The director of the AU department at Sudan’s foreign ministry Adam al-Zain Ibrahim told the official news agency (SUNA) Saturday that the African summit scheduled to be held in Addis Ababa between 30 to 31 January would discuss the sanctions imposed on Sudan and its impact on the AU.
“Peace and security wouldn’t be achieved under the unjust sanctions imposed on Sudan and African countries,” he said.
He added those sanctions negatively impact on the AU’s budget, praising the AU for supporting issues of its member states in international forums such as the International Criminal Court (ICC).
It is worthy to note that the Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir was indicted by the ICC in 2009 and over alleged genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Darfur conflict.
Critics of the ICC, including the AU, say it has unfairly targeted African leaders.
On Friday, Sudan’s permanent mission to the AU has proposed a draft resolution demanding Washington to lift the sanctions imposed on Sudan.
Sudan’s deputy permanent representative at the AU Hamza Omer Hassan told SUNA the draft resolution includes 15 introductory paragraphs and 5 general paragraphs.
He said the introductory paragraphs covered the economic and development impact of the sanctions since 1997 as well as its illegal base under both international humanitarian and human rights laws.
Hassan added the draft resolution mentioned the negative impact of sanctions on government efforts to combat human trafficking, money laundering and general crimes due to sanctions imposed on banking transactions.
He said the resolution demanded Washington in the name of the African leaders to lift the economic sanctions imposed on Sudan, pointing that a mechanism has been formed to follow-up on the resolution until sanctions are removed completely.
The Sudanese diplomat added the follow-up mechanism would also engage in direct contacts with Washington in the name of the African leaders.