U.S. is keen to remove Sudan from terror list as soon as possible: O’Brien

December 7, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien told Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdock that his country is keen to remove Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST) list as soon as possible.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Sudanese foreign ministry said Hamdok was received at the White House by O’Brien on Friday, in the last day of his visit to Washington.

The meeting between Hamdok and O’Brien was attended by Jamal Omer, Sudan’s Minister of Defence and Ambassador Omer Siddiq, Permanent Representative of the Sudan Mission to the United Nations.

“The two sides discussed at length Sudan’s rescission from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, Mr O’Brien stressed that the United States is keen to address this issue as soon as possible,” reads the statement.

The National Security adviser further affirmed the support of President Trump for the transitional government in order to achieve sustainable democratic transformation in Sudan, added the foreign ministry.

Sudanese Prime Minister told the Wall Street Journal on Friday that he discussed the requirements of the SST’s removal with the US officials.

“Only two major obstacles remain: settling the cases relating to the terrorist attacks and cooperating with the U.S. on combating terrorism,” reported the WSJ.

Hamdok went further to say that Sudan and the US could set up joint counterterrorism operation similar to the support provided to the forces of the Sahel countries that fight Boko Haram and other jihadist groups in the region.

“When it comes to combating terrorism, we would like to benefit from U.S. experience, not only of training but intelligence sharing, gathering, equipment, training,” he told the WSJ.

(ST)