Diplomatic Briefing: Growing International Support For the Removal of Sudan From US Terrorism List

Overview

In the latest developments concerning Sudan’s foreign affairs, there are growing calls from influential voices for the US to remove Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres initiated the calls for Sudan's removal from the terrorism designation list (Sudan Tribune, 19 September).

Influential voices in the US

In calls for the US President Trump administration to remove Sudan from the US State Department’s list of nations that sponsor terrorism (18 September), Bloomberg columnist Bobby Ghosh argued that the US US should threaten Sudan’s military with sanctions if it stifles Sudan’s democratic transition, thereby sending a clear signal to donors and investors that it is safe to back the democratic government.

Nonetheless, Ghosh warned the US to be mindful of previous mistakes in de-listing Myanmar, Cuba and North Korea, where reform promises were not honoured.

Former US president Jimmy Carter (CNN, 24 September) provided a pragmatic reasoning that appealed to US security interests in calls for Sudan to be de-listed from the US terror list. Carter warned that failure to remove Sudan's terror designation would have economic consequences that would disrupt the democratic transition, and fuel regional instability.

Arab Support

Despite their heated rivalry with each-other, leaders of both Egypt and Qatar were united in their calls for Sudan’s removal from the US terror list, suggesting an unified stance at the Arab League to support Sudan’s economic recovery. (Multiple sources, 25 September).