[in order to put pressure on the Sudanese parliament] US renews state of emergency against Sudan

A protest against the government's decision to resume diplomatic and commercial relations with Israel, in Khartoum, Sudan (Mahmoud Hjaj - Anadolu Agency)

Middle East Monitor  /  November 2, 2020

The United States’ President Donald Trump on Saturday renewed a state of emergency on Sudan, despite his recent announcement about the possibility of removing the African country from the so-called “State Sponsors of Terrorism” list.

Trump’s move comes as a continuation to a measure that was made on 3 November 1997 by former US President Bill Clinton, allowing the latter to impose economic sanctions on Sudan for alleged “sponsoring terrorism and human rights abuses.” Last month, Trump said he would abolish the sanctions.

“Despite recent positive developments, the crisis constituted by the actions and policies of the Government of Sudan that led to the declaration of a national emergency and the expansion of that emergency, has not been resolved,” the American leader said in a statement.

He added that the Sudanese government’s policies were continuing “to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the US.”

“I have, therefore, determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13067, as expanded by Executive Order 13400, with respect to Sudan.”