WASHINGTON/KHARTOUM - The United States appointed ambassador to Sudan for the first time in 25 years, as Washington upgraded its diplomatic representation with Sudan from Chargé d'Affairs to ambassador. According to Al-Arabiya, John Godfrey was appointed on Saturday as the US ambassador to Khartoum, becoming the first US ambassador since 1996 after the severance of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It is noteworthy that the US-Sudanese relations have rebounded after the removal of former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, following the demonstrations that led to the overthrow of the regime and the establishment of a transitional government represented by top civilian and military officials. People took to the streets, demanding legislative elections and to get back to the democratic path after al-Bashir and 4 of his aides were awarded varying prison terms for their involvement in corruption. An arrest warrant was also issued by the International Criminal Court accusing Bashir of committing war crimes in Darfur. The relations between America and Sudan deteriorated in the early 1990s, after al-Bashir supported extremist groups. Sudan remained on the list of countries sponsoring terrorism in America, after the US administration designated it so in 1993, until Abdullah Hamdok took over as the head of the government two years ago. Washington suspended the work of its embassy in Khartoum in 1996, and then, in 1997, former US President Bill Clinton issued an order to impose comprehensive economic, financial and trade sanctions on Sudan. After Abdalla Hamdok took office in 2019, the United States removed Sudan from the terrorism list and Washington resumed an aid program for the country. It is noteworthy that Sudan's ousted Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has been reinstated following last month's coup when he was put under house arrest. He has appeared on TV to sign a new power-sharing agreement with coup leader Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan amid continuing mass protests.
