The United States (U.S) Embassy in Khartoum has announced the arrival of John Godfrey as the new U.S. Ambassador to Sudan after 25 years of absence.
Relations between the US and Sudan were tense during the three-decade rule of former President Omar al-Bashir. During Bashir’s time in power, the US imposed withering sanctions on Khartoum.
The embassy said in a statement that in 1993, the U.S. listed Sudan as a country sponsoring terrorism, accusing Khartoum of supporting al-Qaeda whose Founder leader Osama bin Laden lived in Sudan from 1992 to 1996.
In 1997, the U.S. downgraded its diplomatic representation in Sudan from ambassador to the level of charge d’affaires, and imposed unilateral economic sanctions on Khartoum for alleged sponsorship of terrorism.
In December 2019, Washington announced its intention to raise its diplomatic representation with Khartoum to the level of ambassador.
In May 2020, Sudan appointed Nureldin Satti as its first Ambassador to the U.S. in 23 years.
The U.S. removed Sudan from its list of countries sponsoring terrorism in December 2020.