November 5, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudanese government on Saturday has denounced Washington’s decision to extend the state of national emergency on Sudan describing the move as “contradictory and non-objective”.
The State of emergency on Sudan was declared for the first time on 3 November 1997 allowing President Bill Clinton to impose economic sanction on Sudan for sponsorship of terrorism and human rights abuses on 4 November 1997.
Based on 3 November 1997 declaration of national emergency on Sudan, President George Bush issued the Executive Order 13400 of April 26, 2006, blocking property of persons in connection with the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday renewed the national emergency with respect to Sudan, saying “the crisis constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Sudan that led to the declaration of a national emergency in Executive Order 13067 in 1997, an expansion of that order in 2006, has not been resolved”.
Trump’s decision comes five weeks after an announcement by the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan and Sudan’s Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed that a full understanding has been reached on the launch of the second phase of dialogue between the two countries.
In a press release on Saturday, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry has regretted Washington’s move, saying it was inconsistent with the spirit of the “constructive cooperation” between the two countries on many common issues.
It pointed out to Khartoum’s cooperation with Washington that led to the lifting of the economic and trade sanctions imposed on Sudan, saying it doesn’t accept the justification that the move reflects nothing but mere “procedural and legal considerations”.
“It is neither fair nor logical that bilateral relations between the two countries remain the victim of [internal] legal complications pertaining to the U.S. alone” read the press release
However, the press release stressed Sudan’s commitment to bear its responsibilities towards regional and international peace and security irrespective of the U.S. decision.
In October 2017, the U.S. Administration permanently lifted 20-year-old economic sanctions against Sudan citing positive actions on humanitarian access and counter-terrorism.
The decision was in line with the "Five Track Engagement Plan", in which Khartoum agreed to a cessation of hostilities with the armed groups, opened unfettered humanitarian access in the conflict-affected areas, agreed to support efforts for peace in South Sudan and developed cooperation with the U.S. to counter terrorism in the region.
However, Washington didn’t remove Sudan’s name from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. In addition, it keeps in place targeted sanctions against individuals with arrest warrants related to atrocities committed during the conflict in Darfur.
