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US President Donald Trump meets with Sudanese envoy to the President of Sudan in Riyadh, Saudi on 21 May 2017
Saudi Arabia is playing a pivotal role in persuading the United States to permanently lift economic sanctions against Sudan, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Khartoum, Ali Bin Hassan Jaafar, revealed yesterday.
Speaking in an interview on Blue Nile satellite TV, Jaafar confirmed that Saudi Arabia is leading efforts to achieve the complete lifting of sanctions against Sudan next July.
The Saudi envoy added that the removal of sanctions would mean that the economic relations between Saudi and Sudan would reach an unprecedented level.
I am optimistic that the economic relations between Khartoum and Riyadh will grow so that citizens of both nations will benefit from the integration of relations between the two countries.
The ambassador welcomed Sudan’s support for Arab and Islamic issues, saying: “The Saudi government and peoples appreciate President Al-Bashir’s strong statements considering the security of Saudi Arabia and the two holy mosques a red line.”
His comments coincided with yesterday’s visit by US President Donald Trump to Saudi Arabia to the Arab-American-Islamic summit in Riyadh attended by 37 Arab leaders. Sudan’s President, Omar Al-Bashir, decline an invitation to attend the summit after Washington expressed displeasure with his presence at the talks.
Last January, former President Barack Obama eased the 19-year economic and trade sanctions on Sudan. The decision came as a response to the Sudanese government’s collaboration on various issues including the fight against terrorism.