US sends 1st ambassador to Sudan in 25 years

KHARTOUM, Sudan

The first US ambassador to Sudan in nearly 25 years received his post, the US Embassy said on Wednesday.

"Ambassador John Godfrey arrived in Khartoum today to be the first US ambassador to Sudan in nearly 25 years," the embassy said in a written statement.

It said the envoy will “strengthen relations between the American and Sudanese peoples and support their aspirations for freedom, peace, justice and democratic transition."

In 1996, the US closed its embassy in Khartoum after labeling the Arab country a state sponsor of terrorism for hosting al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden at the time.

Washington reopened the embassy in 2002 with diplomatic representation below the level of ambassador.

In May 2020, Sudan appointed its first ambassador to Washington after 20 years of vacancy.

In November 2021, the US administration of President Joe Biden announced the appointment of Godfrey as ambassador to Khartoum.

Sudan has been in turmoil since last October, when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s transitional government, a move decried by political forces as a "military coup."

*Ikram Imane Kouachi in Ankara contributed to this report