Doing Business in Sudan

On Monday, October 16, the Corporate Council on Africa organized a working group with a Sudanese government delegation led by the Minister of Finance of Sudan, H.E. Mohamed Osman Suliman Alrikabi, U.S. Department of State officials and private sector stakeholders on doing business in Sudan. President and CEO of CCA, Florizelle Liser opened the event by pointing out the relevance of such a working group, especially following the effective removal of economic sanctions on the North African country by the U.S. government on October 12, 2017, after over two decades. She announced CCA’s plan to send a trade mission to Sudan in December with the aim of promoting greater business engagement between the U.S. and Sudan.Speakers from the U.S. government like Paul Sutphin, Senior Advisor, Office of the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, followed by explaining what will change and what will remain the same for U.S. and Sudanese entities as far as sanctions. He stated with reaffirmation from the other speakers that the decision by the U.S. government moves Sudan from a short list of countries that are under comprehensive sanctions to join a much larger group of countries under targeted sanctions. What this means is that U.S. persons are no longer restricted from doing financial and business transactions with Sudan. Though Sudan remains on the list of State Sponsors of terrorism, the team asserted that both governments are working cooperatively on benchmarks/targets that needs to be achieved before the removal from that list.H.E. Mohamed Osman Suliman Alrikabi, Sudanese Finance Minister, focused his remarks on the opportunities that could be capitalized by American firms in the sectors of manufacturing, agriculture, ICT and tourism. He continued by stating that Sudan is also endowed with various natural resources like oil and gas, fresh water, livestock and gold. The Honorable Minister emphasized the Sudanese government’s readiness to do business based on its commitment to the principles of free market, affirming the critical role of local and foreign private sector stakeholders.Photos, top to bottom:1.)A cross-section of Sudanese government delegates, U.S. Department of State officials and private sector stakeholders at Sudan working group meeting2.)H.E. Mohamed Osman Suliman Alrikabi, Sudanese Minister of Finance and other senior Sudanese Government officials presenting investment opportunities in Sudan to working group attendees3.)CCA President & CEO Florizelle Liser and senior Sudanese business and government officials