Sudan removed from State sponsors of Terrorism List

On November 9, 2020, Sudan was removed from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. India has welcomed its removal. Also, India welcomed the normalisation of Sudan’s relations with Israel.

Sudan-Israel

After UAE, Bahrain, Sudan became the third country to normalise its relations with Israel in the last two months. On October 23, 2020, Sudan normalised its ties with Israel through a deal brokered by US President Donald Trump.

What is State Sponsors of Terrorism List?

It is a list generated by the United States. The list consists of countries that are repeatedly providing support to international terrorism. International Terrorism is a brand provided by United Nations through resolution process at the General Assembly. For instance, in 2019, Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar was designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations. This means that a country helping the terrorist will be put under State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

The list was first generated in 1979 with Iraq, South Yemen, Libya and Syria. Later Cuba was added in 1982, Iran in 1984, North Korea in 1988 and Sudan in 1993. South Yemen, Libya and Cuba have been removed from the list. North Korea was removed and readded again in 2017.

Therefore, currently, only three countries are on the list. They are North Korea, Iran and Syria.

Why was Sudan included in the list?

Because the ruler of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir was suspected to have been supporting militant groups. His rule has now been toppled in the country.

What is Juba Peace Agreement?

Juba Peace Agreement was signed between the Sudanese Government and several other rebel groups in the country almost after a year of peace talks. The deal aims to put an end to the civil war in the country that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2020