UNSC’s African countries urge to lift sanctions on Sudan
September 10, 2019 (NEW YORK) — African Union states members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) urged on Tuesday to lift international sanctions against Sudan, as the country is no ruled by a civilian transitional government after the ouster of the al-Bashir regime.
The African Union Peace and Security Council on Friday lifted the suspension of Sudan’s membership at the regional body and called on the international community to end sanctions on Sudan and to support the efforts of its transitional government to achieve democratic transition
Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa as well as the African Union “would like to follow suit with the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and urging all the concerned states to lift all sanctions against Sudan, including withdrawing it from the list of countries supporting terrorism,” said by Cote d’Ivoire’s UN ambassador Leon Kacou Adom in a statement read at the UN headquarters.
Ambassador Adom was flanked by the ambassadors of South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and the representative of the African Union when he read the joint statement to the press.
“We urge the new government of Sudan to observe and implement faithfully the provisions of the roadmap as agreed, and ultimately hold free, fair and transparent parliamentary and presidential elections in order to create the conditions for a peaceful transition that will ensure lasting peace and stability in Sudan,” further said the Cote d’Ivoire diplomat in his statement.
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok and his foreign minister Asma Abdallah said the lift of sanctions on Sudan particularly its designation by the UN State Department as a state sponsoring terrorism will be the top priority of Sudan foreign policy during the upcoming days.
Hamdok plans to raise the matter during the General Assembly of the United Nations and a special high-level meeting on Sudan in New York this month.
“We are convinced that peacebuilding in Sudan is dependent on economic and social development in line with its national priorities, and we, therefore, urge the international community, including development partners, to support the new Sudanese government in creating an enabling environment for a peaceful transition, as well as the implementation of its ambitious program of economic and social development,” stressed the statement.
The United States until now has no clear political line on the lift of sanctions on Sudan as senior officials on African affairs continue to voice support for democratic change in Sudan but at the same time declare maintaining they have no plan to lift sanctions on the east African nation.
Washington had agreed on open dialogue on Sudan removal from the terror list with the government of the deposed President Omer al-Bashir, stressing on the religious freedom and human rights.
(ST)