Sudan Requests Removal from U.S. Terror List

Sudan has been on the United States terror list since 1993. The U.S. accused the country for sponsoring terrorist activities. From 1997 till date, the country has suffered harsh sanctions as a result of the listing.

Following the ousting of its long-serving leader, Omar al-Bashir; the country believes it is high time the U.S. removed them from the list.

Sudan has been fingered to be involved in sponsoring terrorist activities in the past. The sanctions were during the reign of Omar al-Bashir, who ruled the country for three decades.

The country blames the sanctions on the former leader and believes his ousting should prove a point to the world. They also think un-listing them as one of the countries sponsoring terrorism will encourage the citizens who defied the odds and risked their lives to oust Al-Bashirfrom from power.

The request was formally made by Sudan Foreign Ministry's Acting Undersecretary Omer Dahab during a meeting in Khartoum with the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, Donald Booth.

"The undersecretary called on the U.S. to remove Sudan from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism to enable Sudan access international development support," said the statement.

"Sudan is now looking forward to being reintegrated in the international community," said Dahab.

He pointed out that Sudan needs the support of the international community to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

He further said Sudan is expecting to normalize its ties with the U.S. and other countries, with which it had tense relations over the past decades.

In his reaction, the U.S. envoy, Donald Booth said Washington is working with its partners to look into how to support Sudan.

Booth underlined the need to commit to the deadlines agreed on to establish transitional institutions and a civilian government in Sudan after the ruling military council and the opposition reached a deal on the constitutional declaration.

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