UNGA 2020: Sudan urges UN to remove it from terror sponsor list

Prime Minister Dr Abdalla Hamdok says Sudan is actively fighting terrorism

Dr Abdalla Hamdok, Sudan's prime minister, speaks during the United Nations General Assembly. Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

Sudan has called on the United Nations to see its name removed from a list of nations which sponsor terrorism.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Sudan's prime minister, Dr Abdalla Hamdok, said the nation needed to be removed as a sponsor of terror to enable its economic recovery.

In recent weeks thousands of people have been displaced in Sudan due to torrential rain and floods.

"Sudan's name should be removed from the list of countries that are sponsoring terrorism, Sudan has returned to the international fold after 30 years outside it," he said.

"This must happen. But we need the assistance and the support in order to be able to do so, we have the efforts of the US government and the US Congress to remove Sudan's name from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.

"Sudan expresses solidarity with the victims of terrorism wherever they may be in the world. We condemn terrorist attacks. We actively cooperate with international and bilateral efforts to fight terrorism and terrorism financing, we are doing this, through our commitment to international resolutions and the relevant Security Council resolutions."

He has praised the international community for its help following the present humanitarian crisis caused by severe flooding which has seen more than 600,000 people being forced to flee their homes.

"The challenges Sudan faces have been complicated by the fact that the flooding of the Nile has led to severe losses of human lives and property in the entire Nile Valley region," he added.

"It has caused major damage, tens of thousands of houses have either partially or completely collapsed. In this regard, I wish to thank all the friendly and kindred countries who have showed their solidarity through their generous support in responses to the catastrophe."

Dr Hamdok said it is his hope that Sudan will become an "active player" on the world stage once again and said the nation is implementing reforms to make it happen.

"Sudan citizens are suffering even more because of the economic practices inherited from the obsolete previous regime," he added.

"We have undertaken reforms in order to restructure the economy and make it more rational.

"We are going to create the future we want."

The impoverished East African nation is still struggling to recover from a five-year civil war.