Sudan hopes to improve relations with Europe and U.S. through dialogue

Feb. 26 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s First Vice President and Prime Minister Bakri Hassan Saleh said his country has adopted dialogue as a way to achieve normalization with European countries and the United States.

In a speech before the seventh Sudanese ambassadors’ conference held in Khartoum on Monday, Saleh said that normalization efforts would be also exerted with neighbouring countries that are in a state of war, including South Sudan, Libya and Somalia.

He further revealed the Sudanese (presidency) is mediating between Egypt and Ethiopia to bridge the gaps the Nile water file.

The Prime Minister praised the performance of the Foreign Ministry saying that it successfully led the diplomatic work under extremely complex circumstances and a hostile campaign targeting Sudan from various quarters.

During the year 2017, Washington removed the 20-year economic sanctions on Khartoum and the two governments are discussing Sudan’s removal from the list of countries sponsors of terrorism. With Europe, the east African country has developed a close cooperation with EU countries seeking to curb human trafficking.

Also, Khartoum has been seen as a stable country compared to the regional chaos in South Sudan, Central African Republic and Libya, despite two conflicts in the southern and western parts of the country.

For his part, Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said that his ministry is developing a comprehensive strategy for Sudan’s relations with African countries, which understand the position of his country on the International Criminal Court (ICC).

He added that this African policy will be based on plans for effective action and diplomatic expansion through the opening of more embassies in a number of African capitals.

The ICC’s indictment of the Sudanese President which was followed by other sitting leaders allowed Khartoum to capitalize on this growing criticism in the continent and to campaign against the war crimes court.

ECONOMIC POLICY

Furthermore, Ghandour underscored that the biggest challenge facing Sudan’s foreign policy is the ability of the Sudanese economy to integrate into the global economy, he stressed.

He called on the Sudanese diplomatic missions to play a vital role in attracting foreign investments, developing trade exchanges, activating ministerial economic committees, paying attention to economic consultation committees, signing economic and trade agreements and memoranda as well as promoting bilateral businessmen’s committees.

In separate statements released on Monday, Ambassador Abdel Ghani al-Naim, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry said the Ambassadors’ Conference will focus on economic diplomacy and business and sustainable development diplomacy.

Last January, it was reported that Ghandour extended his resignation to President Omer al-Bashir to protest the creation of parallel bodies chaired by Presidential Adviser Awan al-Jaz tasked with trade and economic relations with China, Turkey and Russia.

Ghandour who withdrew his resignation underlined that his ministry could fulfil its diplomatic duties while parallel economic organs work independently from his ministry.

(ST)