First US ambassador to Sudan in 25 years arrives in Khartoum

The first US ambassador to Sudan in 25 years takes  up his post in the latest easing of ties since Washington removed Khartoum from its state sponsors of terrorism list.

Ties between the United States and Sudan were severely strained under the three-decade rule of ousted president Omar al-Bashir, with Washington slapping crippling economic sanctions on Khartoum.

In 1993, the US blacklisted Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism as Bashir’s regime hosted Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, who resided in the country in 1992-1996.

“Ambassador John Godfrey arrived today in Khartoum, the first US Ambassador to Sudan in nearly 25 years,” the US embassy says in a statement.

Relations with Washington eased under Sudan’s now-ousted transitional government led by former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok, who took office following Bashir’s 2019 ouster on the back of mass protests against his rule.

In December 2019, former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said the United States would appoint an ambassador to Khartoum.

In May 2020, Sudan named an ambassador to the US. Later that year, Washington removed Khartoum from its blacklist. Among the steps pledged by Sudan was an agreement to normalize relations with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords.