President Donald Trump announced that, after the Khartoum government has paid restitution to the casualties of attacks, the U.S. will withdraw Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism blacklist. In a Twitter post on Monday, Trump, who is awaiting reelections next month, said that the new Sudanese Government has promised to pay $335 million to U.S. victims of terrorism and relatives.
“Great News!! The New Government of Sudan, which is making significant progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and a BIG step for Sudan!” he wrote.
For the Sudanese Government and its citizens, this progress is very significant. Sudan’s exclusion from the list will lead to foreign investments and an increase in the economy. The exclusion was a priority for the Sudanese Government during reforms in the aftermath of President Omar al-Bashir’s long-lasting military removal in August last year against his dominance. In 1993, the U.S. government included Sudan to its list of “terrorism” state supporters on charges of funding terrorist organizations from Al-Bashir’s Government. Sudan cannot legally implement financial assistance with this classification, yet they desperately need funding from major international organizations.
GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 19, 2020
Sudan and Israel Relations
Upon formal approval by the President, the U.S. Congress will authorize the withdrawal. Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok lauded Trump immediately after Trump’s Twitter post and said that the Sudanese Government looks forward to an “official notification to Congress to revoke the Sudanese listing as State terrorist sponsor, which has cost Sudan too much.”
Thank you so much, President Trump! We very much look forward to your official notification to Congress rescinding the designation of Sudan as a state-sponsor of terrorism, which has cost Sudan too much. https://t.co/GeScTPfb0k
— Abdalla Hamdok (@SudanPMHamdok) October 19, 2020
A U.S. government source said in the next two days, talks were scheduled to continue surrounding Sudan’s $335 million deposit in escrow for al-Qaeda victims, especially U.S. embassies which were attacked in 1998 in Kenya and Tanzania. This arrangement could also lead Sudan to build diplomatic ties with Israel. The U.S. in recent seasons violated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain parallel initiatives about these issues. The source said that they were still establishing the specifics.
Trump did not talk about the U.S. attempts to turn Sudan into the last Arab nation to strengthen relations with Israel. The Sudanese government clarified that the declaration of the delisting of Khartoum was not directly related to Israel’s normalization. There are varying gaps in how easily a relationship with Israel can be warmed between Sudanese political and military officers. Initially, Hamdok had told the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, that his Government has no mandate to settle the issue. It will be necessary for Washington to confirm Sudan’s delisting first. Later, they can make it an official deal to establish ties between Sudan and Israel.
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