Reuters
The Sudanese government announced that after the US Congress approved the Sovereign Immunity Act, Sudan will become a country with full immunity against any future cases that may be brought against it under the Terrorism Act.
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The Sudanese government pointed out that “Congress has approved the legislation to approve the settlement agreement reached between the government of Sudan and the government of the United States of America regarding the issues of the bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the destroyer Cole, according to which it was agreed that the government of Sudan would pay 335 million dollars.” This is in return for removing Sudan from the list of states sponsoring terrorism as a first step, followed by the cancellation of the judicial rulings issued against Sudan in those cases, which decided to pay Sudan more than $ 10.2 billion, and then restore Sudan’s sovereign immunity regarding any future trials related to the period in which it was included in the List of countries sponsoring terrorism. “
The Sudanese government indicated that the initial version that was submitted to the US Congress was to cancel all cases filed against Sudan under the Terrorism Act, and to transfer the cases filed against Sudan in the events of September 11, 2001, to be under the “Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act,” known for short. Jasta, according to which any country can be sued, including countries not included in the terrorism list. However, the matter collided with the opposition of two members of the Senate, driven by the objections of the lawyers of the families of the 9/11 victims, and because of that, the legislation now passed has ruled that these cases continue in accordance with the law Terrorism, not the “JASTA” law, as requested by Sudan.
The draft law also removes all other cases filed against Sudan, including “5 cases filed this year accusing the previous Sudanese government of supporting Hamas in terrorist acts that affected American citizens residing in Israel, as well as another case that was filed in the middle of this year by American sailors.” They were on board the destroyer Cole. “
In addition to Sudan restoring its sovereign immunity, the US Congress has approved $ 931 million in direct economic aid to support Sudan’s economy.
This aid also includes $ 120 million to support Sudan in the International Monetary Fund and restructure its debts, in addition to $ 111 million to meet the costs of restructuring Sudanese debt, and $ 150 million in compensation for Africans who were affected by the bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, and who have now become US citizens.
Thus, the total direct and indirect aid approved with this legislation in favor of Sudan amounts to 1.1 billion dollars, which is separate from the one billion dollars that the United States committed to pay to the World Bank to pay Sudan’s arrears owed to the bank.
Accordingly, the Sudanese government confirmed that the legal status of Sudan, after the entry into force of the legislation, will become a country with full sovereign immunity to any future attempts to litigate against it based on its previous status as a state that was included in the list of states sponsoring terrorism.
In this context, the Sudanese Ministry of Justice affirmed that Sudan is committed to appearing before American courts and to defend itself in the currently existing cases to prove its lack of connection with the events of September 11 and its innocence of these accusations.
The ministry pointed out that this “great historical development in Sudan’s relations with the United States means the country’s liberation once and for all from the repercussions of a dark period in the history of its relationship with the United States and the world, as well as indicating the country’s return to its normal position as a state with sovereign immunity on an equal footing with all countries.” In addition, this legislation opens the door wide for Sudan for economic and financial cooperation with the United States and other countries, freely and with reassurance and without fear or fear that its money and property will be confiscated or seized due to judicial rulings related to terrorism.
Source: Suna
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