Saudi Arabia urges US to remove Sudan from terror list

The US last month lifted fast-changing Sudan from a blacklist for religious freedom violations, but Khartoum awaits the bigger prize of removal from the terror list.

The designation has severely impeded investment in the country, which is emerging from decades of military rule and conflict. 

Saudi media said the kingdom's state minister for African affairs, Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Kattan, met in Riyadh with the US envoy to Sudan, Donald Booth, and "stressed to Washington the necessity of lifting Sudan from the terrorism list".

According to state broadcaster Al-Ekhbaria, the minister emphasised "Saudi Arabia's support for Sudan's security and stability."

Washington has included Khartoum on its list of state sponsors of terrorism since 1993 on charges of collaborating with extremist groups, notably al-Qaeda.

In 2017, the United States lifted trade sanctions imposed on Sudan a decade before but kept Khartoum on its terrorism blacklist alongside Iran, North Korea and Syria.

Last October, Saudi Arabia's King Salman met with Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok in Riyadh to discuss the lifting of the US measures.

Sudan has sided with Riyadh against Shia Iran and provided troops to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen's war against Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.

Sudan's long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir was pushed out by the military during months-long protests last year.

After his downfall, Saudi Arabia and the UAE promised to inject $500 million into Sudan's central bank and $2.5 billion to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products.



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