Saudi Arabia Kingdom’s foreign ministry made the announcement on its Twitter handle that it is working on having Sudan removed from the United States’s list of state sponsors of terrorism.
This came after a meeting in Riyadh between King Salman and the recently appointed head of Sudan’s transitional sovereign council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
Inclusion on the terror, which dates back to 1993 over allegations that former President Omar al- Bashir’s government was aiding groups that the US deemed to be ‘terrorists’; the list makes Sudan ineligible for desperately-needed debt relief and financing from lenders such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Removal would potentially open the door for foreign investment.
A senior US official said in August that Washington would test the commitment of Sudan’s new transitional government to human rights, freedom of speech and humanitarian access before it agrees to remove the country from the state sponsor of terrorism list.
Observers have previously said that it is unlikely that the US is going to recommend any changes in the status of Sudan until elections are held, a new constitution is formed and a permanent civilian government has been established.
Comprising military and civilian members who were sworn in in August, the sovereign council is to rule Sudan for a little over three years until elections can be held.
Separately, Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that Riyadh was also working on initiating investments in Sudan and improving existing projects.
