Sudan’s Hamdok Heads Busy Agenda for US Visit
Arab World
Washington- Asharq Al-Awsat
Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who arrived in the US on Monday, will meet US officials at the State Department, the Treasury, and the National Security Council, as well as the Defense Department, the CIA and congressional leaders, sources said. Sources also pointed out that Hamdok will meet the President of the World Bank and the Director of the International Monetary Fund, hold meetings in some think tanks and business councils, and meet with the Sudanese community in the US. Hamdok arrived in Washington heading a delegation of ministers of defense, justice, youth and sports, and religious affairs. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mansour Bolad said on Sunday that Hamdok's visit to Washington is part of Sudan's efforts to normalize relations with the United States. He added that it is crucial that the US lift sanctions against Sudan because these sanctions impede the implementation of government programs. For example, Sudan cannot borrow money from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as long as it is on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. Sudan was placed on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism in 1993, during the three-decade rule of former President Omar al-Bashir Three months ago the US State Department said it will test the commitment of Sudan's new transitional government to human rights, freedom of speech, and humanitarian access before it agrees to remove the country from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. In this regard, observers note that many issues remain obstacles to the full normalization of relations between Khartoum and Washington, particularly the issues of combating terrorism, compliance with UN Security Council resolutions, and boycotting North Korea. Two weeks ago, a UN delegation visited Sudan to discuss lifting UN sanctions. While Hamdok did address the General Assembly of the United Nations at the end of September, it has been years since a senior Sudanese official paid an official visit to Washington.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2018936/sudan%E2%80%99s-hamdok-heads-busy-agenda-us-visit
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