Khartoum urges new plan for Sudan’s removal from terror list
October 28, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Foreign Ministry urged the United States to develop a joint mechanism to normalize bilateral relations and remove Sudan from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST).
In a statement on the outcome of the Friend of Sudan meeting on 21 October, the State Department announced they had begun engagement with the Sudanese government on the requirements for a potential recession of Sudan’s SST designation.
Also, in an event on Sudan at the Atlantic Council on 22 October, US Special Envoy for Sudan Donald Booth said his administration is working not only to remove the SST designation but also engaging with the Congress to amend or modify three acts specific to Sudan and other legislations imposing restrictions on Sudan.
However, in a statement released Monday after a meeting with Brian Shukan the new U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to Sudan, Elham Mohamed Ahmed Assistant Undersecretary at the Foreign Ministry called to remove Sudan from the blacklist and to establish a plan to this end.
The Sudanese diplomat “stressed the need to re-establish a joint mechanism to resume the dialogue process with the United States to remove Sudan from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism,” said the statement.
On 6 November 2018, Sudan and the United States agreed on a plan for the removal of the east African nations from the terror list for the first time, but Washington suspended the process and discarded the six-track engagement after the collapse of the former regime.
The removal process is complex and requires a six-month-long review as well as the consent of the U.S. Congress which is now favourable to the transitional government after the ouster of the al-Bashir’s regime.
On Saturday 26 October, four U.S. Senators called on President Donald Trump to upgrade the diplomatic representation to the level of ambassador to indicate Washington’s support to Hamdok government and to dissuade military from acting against the civilian-led administration.
(ST)