Sudan: Trade Promotion

(asked on 16th January 2017) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following Sir Simon McDonald's visit to Sudan on 10 January, whether it is now their policy to promote trade with Sudan.


This question was answered on 30th January 2017

As part of our phased increase in direct engagement with the government of Sudan, the UK will consider opportunities to promote trade with Sudan, as trade can help to open up closed off political and economic systems. We are working with the World Bank, through the Sudan Multi-Partner Fund, to remove some of the barriers to private sector development through greater financial inclusion. Furthermore, we welcome the recent decisions made by the US Government on Sudan related sanctions, which will see a lifting of the trade embargo and the unfreezing of government of Sudan assets in the US, and urge the government of Sudan to make further progress on agreeing a permanent cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access, which would enable this decision to become permanent.

We will continue to provide support to UK companies to help understand the opportunities and challenges of operating in Sudan. However, we have been clear with the government of Sudan that the current conflicts, human rights abuses, and business environment remain obstacles to a sizeable increase in interest from British companies, and continue to urge them to make progress on these issues.

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