KHARTOUM — Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have welcomed the decision of the US administration led by President Donald Trump to remove Sudan from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism. In a statement on Tuesday, Bahrain's foreign ministry commended the positive step taken which supports the valuable efforts of the transitional government in the brotherly Republic of Sudan and serves security and stability in its territories. The UAE foreign ministry also expressed the country's support for all efforts to complete the procedures for removing Sudan from this list, affirming its continuous support for everything that contributes to enhancing Sudan's security, stability, and prosperity. Meanwhile, Sudan on Tuesday denied any link between the country's removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism and normalization with Israel. "I can confirm that there is no link between the issue of normalization with Israel and the lifting of Sudan from the terror list," Foreign Minister Omer Qamar Aldin told a press conference in Khartoum. He said Sudan's removal from the US blacklist was "the first step for Sudan's return to the international community". On Monday, Trump announced that the US will remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism after the country follows through on an agreement to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to US terror victims and families. Trump tweeted on Monday: "GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to US 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!" The move would allow Sudan to once again receive international loans and aid that are needed to boost the country's economy. It could also pave the way for Sudan to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, as the Trump administration seeks to broker deals for Arab countries to recognize Israel. The administration has facilitated such agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok thanked Trump in a tweet on Monday, saying the terrorism-sponsor designation has seriously harmed Sudan. He added that the Sudanese people have never supported terrorism and that the US move is strong support for the country's transition to democracy. The $335 million that Sudan has agreed to pay to Americans is for victims of Al-Qaeda attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 and for the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 in a Yemeni port. US courts have found that Sudan was complicit in those attacks.
