The United States has expressed deep concern over Sudan’s human rights record, deeming it closely tied to the conditional benchmarks for lifting sanctions imposed on Sudan for the past twenty years.
Despite Khartoum’s progress on these benchmarks, the US Embassy in Khartoum issued a statement obtained by the Middle East, stating that the US government awaits stronger progress from the Sudanese government in areas such as activist imprisonment, press seizures, church demolitions, political space restrictions, and personal and religious freedoms.
The embassy emphasized continued worries over Sudan’s human rights record and ongoing restrictions on political space, religious freedom, and freedom of expression, including press freedom.
This comes just days before the deadline to lift US sanctions imposed on Sudan since 1997, as per Executive Order 13761, which partially lifts sanctions and mandates complete removal after 180 days, set to expire on July 12th, contingent upon Sudan’s adherence to Washington’s five-track plan.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry criticized its inclusion in the third-tier category of the US State Department’s 2016 annual report on human trafficking, stating that it lacks evidence and ignores Sudan’s efforts in combating what it described as “heinous” crimes.
The ministry’s statement noted regional and international recognition for Sudanese efforts in fighting crime, emphasizing the report’s disregard for factual basis or evidence.
This diplomatic exchange underscores the delicate balance between international expectations and Sudan’s efforts to rehabilitate its global standing amid ongoing challenges.
