President Trump announced that the United States will soon remove Sudan from its list of countries that sponsor terrorism, paving the way for further international collaboration.
The move, announced Monday, comes after months of Sudanese officials negotiating the terms for the African country to be nixed from the list, which includes the likes of Iran, Syria, and North Korea.
According to Trump, who announced the move via Twitter, removal from the list is contingent upon Sudan disbursing $335 million to U.S. families and victims of terrorism, specifically the 1998 al Qaeda bombings against U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 bombing of the Navy destroyer the USS Cole.
“GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan!” Trump said.
GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 19, 2020
The move could deliver the president another foreign policy win before the Nov. 3 election. According to the New York Times, citing two U.S. officials, Sudan could begin the process of normalizing relations with Israel within days. The removal from the terrorism list may work as a carrot that could help make that proposition more palatable to some in Sudan who do not want to make such an overture.
Sudan would become the third country this year to normalize relations with the Jewish state should it decide to do so. The United Arab Emirates, followed shortly by Bahrain, both decided to make history and ink a treaty with Israel earlier this year. They were the first Arab countries to do so in more than a quarter of a century, after Jordan (1994) and Egypt (1979).
The Washington Examiner reached out to officials at the White House for comment.
