Cabinet Issues Statement on Normalization and Sudan Revocation From Terrorist List

Khartoum (SUNA) – The Council of Ministers, on Sunday, issued statement in which it clarified the procedures led to the lifting of the country’s name from the list of the countries sponsoring terrorism and Sudan’s stance over the normalization of relation with Israel.

The statement underlined that the government spent a whole year of hard negotiation that led to the revocation of the country’s name from the list of the countries sponsoring terrorism.

The statement underlined that the lifting of Sudan’s name from the terrorist list ended three decades of international isolation and open big opportunities for the country, especially, in the economic side including the start of writing off the 60 billion dollars accumulated foreign debts through the initiative of the exemption of the poorest and highly indebted countries,

“The revocation of Sudan from the terrorist list allows the country to deal with the international financial institutions and the full benefitting from the development grants and international aid” the statement said.

The cabinet further outlined that the lifting of the county’s name from the terrorist list sends strong message for the return of the international financial investments in accordance with fair contracts and transparency for the development of the infrastructure and the agro-industrial sector, as well as benefitting from the country’s resources.

The statement added that the move allow the country to return to the international banking system, matter that, will facilitate the banking transfers and remove the restrictions imposed on the banking accounts of the Sudanese.

Concerning the normalization, the statement underlined that, last August, the US sent the US Secretary of State , Mike Pompeo to Khartoum, during this visit, Pompeo presented the US offer of recognition and normalization with Israel as a condition for removing Sudan from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, but the Prime Minister rejected the offer and called on the US Administration to separate the two issues.

“The government believes that the Sudanese people have the right to decide on the matter of the relationship with Israel through its constitutional institutions, which have not yet been completed.” The statement indicated.

 The statement emphasized that the government continued the negotiations with the US Administration and we reached a agreement on lifting of the Sudan’s name from the terrorist list. The agreement announced on Oct.23, 2020.

“The US side proposed that a quadruple phone call be made in which President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulate the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Prime Minister, Dr. Abdullah Hamduok, for removing Sudan from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism and announcing Agreement of principles between Sudan and Israel to normalize relations” the statement concluded.