Trump renews state of emergency on Sudan despite recent breakthrough

US President Donald Trump made the decision just days after signing an agreement with Sudan to restore Khartoum's sovereign immunity after more than two decades spent on a terror blacklist.

Sudan’s ministry of foreign affairs downplayed the decision, describing it as a routine procedure that will have no impact on the latest breakthrough between the two states.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commented on the decision of the US President, Donald Trump, to renew the executive decision on the state of national emergency regarding Sudan, stating that this renewal will have no effect on the steps currently underway to remove Sudan from the list of states sponsoring terrorism," Sudan’s national news agency SUNA reported.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the renewing decision is a routine procedure that takes place when its time is due, and it is linked to the existence of Sudan in the list," the report added. 

"The renewing is expected to be canceled directly, together with the laws that have been enacted against Sudan over the past years, after completing the current procedures to end the classification and to cancel all the laws relating to it." 

On Friday, the United States signed an agreement to restore Khartoum's sovereign immunity.

The move comes as part of a deal unveiled earlier this month allowing Sudan's removal from the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list, a designation that has since the '90s exposed Khartoum to harmful sanctions and hefty lawsuits.

Khartoum agreed to pay more than $300 million in compensation to the survivors of three major Al-Qaeda attacks. It was blacklisted over its hosting of members of the extremist group, including then-leader Osama bin Laden.

The agreement announced on Friday will come into force once Khartoum has officially been removed from the list, Sudan's Justice Ministry said in a statement.

That will occur once 45 days have passed without an objection from congress, following the Sudanese compensation payment.

Sudan's removal from the terror blacklist comes in tandem with Khartoum's agreement to normalise ties with Israel, also announced last week.

Read more: How US blackmail pushed Sudan to normalise ties with Israel

Critics of the deals have accused Washington of "blackmailing" Khartoum into becoming the third Arab nation this year to sign a peace agreement with Israel.

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