Sudan signs deal on normalising ties with Israel
Sudan signed the “Abraham Accords” paving the way to normalising ties with Israel on Wednesday, alongside an aid deal to access $1 billion annual World Bank financing, during an unprecedented visit by the US treasury chief.
The deals were signed less than a month after Washington removed Khartoum from its “state sponsors of terrorism” blacklist, following Sudan’s agreement to normalise ties with Israel in October.
They are the culmination of efforts by Sudan’s transitional civilian-majority government — which took power after the April 2019 ouster of president Omar al-Bashir — to forge closer ties with the US.
The US embassy congratulated Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government on signing the deal, saying it would “help further Sudan on its transformative path to stability, security, and economic opportunity.”
“The agreement allows Sudan, Israel and other signers of the Abraham Accords to build mutual trust and increase cooperation in the region,” the embassy said in a tweet.
Wednesday’s signing made Sudan the third Arab country to ink the “Abraham Accords” after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain last year.
The accords were signed by Sudan’s Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Olajumoke Adeleke
