Sudan proposes oil investment to Belarus

Following the lifting of sanctions imposed by the US government, Sudan’s Oil Minister Mohamed Zayid Awad has proposed 15 oil fields for investment by Belarus, Anadolu news agency reported on Tuesday. Awad told the media that Sudan is keen to cooperate with Belarus in the oil and related industries, especially gas to use in electricity production.

He made his comments as Belarus President by Alexander Lukashenko concluded his visit to Khartoum during which he met with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Al-Bashir. The two leaders discussed the bolstering of bilateral relations and cooperation in the development of oil and gas fields. They also signed cooperation agreements, including a programme to develop higher education between 2017 and 2020.

The relationship between Sudan and Belarus began in 1998 with a protocol to exchange diplomatic information. A Sudanese ambassador was appointed to Belarus capital, Minsk, in 2000.

Awad told Anadolu on Monday that lifting economic sanctions would bring global companies, mainly US-based, to work in the Sudanese oil fields.

Although the US lifted sanctions last week, Washington has kept Sudan’s name on the blacklist of “terror sponsors”.