Two prominent US Congressmen arrived to the Sudanese capital to discuss bilateral relations between Khartoum—Washington, and regional tensions in the area.
Khartoum: Altaghyeer
Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Khaled Omar Youssef, received on Monday at Khartoum Airport, a United States Congress delegation led by member of the Foreign Relations Committee Senator Christopher Coons, and from Maryland, Senator Chris Van Hollen.
Sudan’s official news agency (SUNA) noted that the delegation’s visit “comes to strengthen the strategic and economic relations and cooperation between the two countries.”
The US contributed to Sudan’s restoration of global financial dealings after decades of isolation, while the Sudanese await a greater contribution by Washington in the economical Paris conference to be held this month.
The delegation’s meetings include a number of government officials, headed by Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Prime Minister Dr. Abdullah Hamdok, as well as a number of ministers.
International media have reported that the congressional delegation will discuss the regional tension between Sudan and Ethiopia over the Renaissance Dam and the borders.
Noteworthy about Senator Coons is that he sponsored Sudan’s Sovereign Immunity Law, which was introduced before Congress last year.
Tension between the countries of the eastern Nile basin (Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia) has reached the UN Security Council.
Ethiopia submitted a complaint to the Security Council, stating that “the actions of Egypt and Sudan reveal their lack of respect for the principles of the African Union, and their desire to destabilize.”
Khartoum and Cairo consider Addis Ababa’s efforts in fillingthe dam before reaching a binding agreement a direct threat to their national security.
Sudan’s eastern border with Ethiopia is witnessing the build-up of military tensions following the redeployment of the Sudanese army there; a matter which Addis Ababa objects to.
The United States had previously led mediation to converge views on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, and recently, US envoy to Sudan Donald Booth conducted a tour of Khartoum, Cairo, Addis Ababa in effort to defuse the tension.
The relations between Sudan and the United States witnessed a major breakthrough after the popular revolution that toppled the ousted regime of Omar al-Bashir.
