The first US ambassador to Sudan in 25 years took up his post on Wednesday in the northeast African country, a new sign of relax in bilateral relations since Washington removed Khartoum from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Ties had deteriorated sharply under the rule of deposed President Omar al-Bashir after three decades, with Washington imposing draconian economic sanctions on Khartoum. In 1993, the US blacklisted Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism after Bashir’s regime hosted al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, who resided in the country from 1992 to 1996.
“Ambassador John Godfrey arrived in Khartoum today, the first US ambassador to Sudan in nearly 25 years,” the US embassy said in a statement. Godfrey “will work to strengthen the relationship between the American and Sudanese people and support their aspirations for freedom, peace, justice, and a transition to democracy,” the statement added.
Godfrey’s arrival comes as Sudan faces security unrest and a slumping economy since the October 2021 coup by army chief Abdelfattah al-Burhane. The putsch disrupted a fragile transition that was put in place after Bashir’s ouster in 2019.
Relations between Sudan and the United States eased under the now ousted transitional government in Khartoum, led by former Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok, who took office after Bashir’s departure following protests against his rule.
In December 2019, during a visit by Mr Hamdok to Washington, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States would again appoint an ambassador to Khartoum. Then, in May 2020, Sudan appointed an ambassador to the United States before Washington removed Khartoum from its list of state sponsors of terrorism a few months later.