By Sudan on Monday, welcomed a statement by the United Nations Country Team, hoping for a positive resolution on the lifting of the US sanctions.
“Sudan expressed its satisfaction with the facts and evidence highlighted in the United Nations statement and its emphasis on the close cooperation between the Sudan and the International Community on humanitarian issues at the regional and international levels,” said Gharib Khidir, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson, about the issue.
The six month sanction period temporarily lifted by America’s former President Barak Obama, expires on Wednesday 12 July, this year, as reports clear it. Therefore, Khartoum hopes that Washington will lift US economic sanctions permanently.
“The natural and logical step is that America’s economic sanctions are lifted from Sudan because it (Sudan) has fully implemented what was asked of it,” clarified the Foreign Ministry Undersecretary, Abdul Ghani Al-Naim.
“The two sides have had monthly joint meetings to follow up on the implementation. Therefore, their does not remain anything to be done,” he explained to Reuters.
The U.S State Department on Tuesday, said that on Wednesday 12 July, the agency would announce a decision regarding whether to make the relief permanent.
Before the decision will be made, Washington will decide if Sudan has complied with demands that include resolving internal military conflicts in areas of Darfur, cooperating on counter terrorism and improving access to humanitarian aid.
In June, the United States said that it was very concerned about Sudan’s human rights record.
Making assumptions, Sudanese Foreign Minister, Ibrahim Ghandour, warned that if Trump administration decides to continue with the sanction, the fighting between the government and rebels could resume.
“If the sanction continues, it will push the armed group to harden their positions. If the sanctions are lifted, they will return to negotiation. If not, they will prepare for war,” said Ghandour, speaking on a state radio.
Sudan is for the time being looking forward to winning back access to the global banking system, potentially revolving the badly needed trade and Foreign Investment.
Unfortunately, despite the relief from the sanction, it is reported that Sudan’s designation by the United States as a state sponsor of terrorism would not change.
This is so because the country’s President, Omar Hassan Al Bashir remains wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), for crimes against humanity.
Sources also show that, this status could even make the investors and the banks to hesitate in doing business with the country, even if the sanctions are lifted.
Reporter: Shamilah Namuddu