U.S. State Department won’t confirm invitation to Sudan PM

October 16, 2019 (WASHINGTON) – U.S. administration refused to confirm or deny reports of an invitation extended to Sudanese prime minister Abdulla Hamdok to visit Washington.

This comes after press reports in Khartoum claimed that Hamdok was invited to come to Washington for talks on bilateral relations, as he calls to remove Sudan’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

“While we cannot confirm an invitation for an official visit at this time the United States fully supports Prime Minister Hamdok and Sudan’s civilian transitional government and looks forward to continued engagement on a full range of issues,” said a State Department spokesperson when reached by Sudan Tribune to confirm the report.

During his visit to New York last September to take part in the meeting of the UN General Assembly, Hamdok called for international pressure on Washington to remove his country from the terror list.

Observers noted that President Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo avoided meeting the prime minister of the first government formed after the collapse of the former president Omer al-Bashir.

He only met with Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, David Hale, who discussed with him the conditions under which his country would be removed from the list.

Also, officials from the USAID and Treasury Department discussed with him humanitarian aid and cooperation to fight money laundering.

(ST)