Source: Youtube.com /  U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor Nagy

By Gary Raynaldo     /    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The U.S. top diplomat for Africa Tibor Nagy said that while the security situation in the Sahel region continues to deteriorate due to an uptick in deadly terror attacks, Sudan is “much, much more optimistic” as it accelerates a civilian-led transitional government. Ambassador Nagy made the  comments during a Department of State teleconference with journalists Wednesday  in a briefing following last week’s  UN General Assembly.  “I was able to participate in two high-level UN events, one on Mali and the Sahel and then another one on Sudan and unfortunately the Sahel is one of the more problematic areas on the continent. There has been serious deterioration over the last year. So the international community is very engaged on trying to figure out a way on how to address that,” Ambassador Nagy stated. The latest terrorist violence in the Sahel happened this weekend with 25 Soldiers Killed in Mali Attack in West Africa. 

However, Nagy expressed great optimism regarding the newly formed civilian transitional government in Sudan.  Last June, Nagy warned that if a peaceful resolution to the political strife in Sudan is not quickly found, the East Central Africa nation could become another Libya or Somalia. “We could end up with the type of chaos that exists in Libya or Somalia and the last thing Egypt wants is another Libya on its southern border.  The last thing Ethiopia wants is another Somalia on its northwestern border,” the diplomat said at the time.  An outbreak of violence gripped Sudan’s capital city Khartoum after the overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir in April.  Sudan’s capital was been on lock down as paramilitary groups dismantled the many sit-in protest sites that sprouted as Sudanese people called for an end to the military-led government that replaced al-Bashir’s rule. Dozens of civilians were killed, including 19 children.

U.S. African Diplomat Optimistic For Sudan Future After Civilian-Led Government Installed

Photo / By Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times /  Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of the Republic of the Sudan at UN world headquarters  New York Sep. 27, 2019 

Ambassador Nagy  said that after he attended the high-level UN events during the annual General Assembly on Mali and the Sahel and  the other on Sudan, the latter was more hopeful.

“Sudan was much, much more optimistic because the entire international community is extremely excited by the positive developments in Sudan and how we can help Sudan through its transition to a very successful outcome. I was joined by my team here in the Africa Bureau. And between us, I think we had 31 separate meetings with African leaders. As I said, UN General Assembly week is speed dating for diplomats. Our Undersecretary for Political Affairs also co-hosted one of the high-level events and that was for Somalia. That’s another part of the continent which as we all know has been very problematic. But there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon.”

-U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor Nagy

“This time paradigm shift really has a tremendous amount of meaning because until the transition government came in and until Prime Minister (Abdalla) Hamdok took over, the United States of America viewed Sudan as a very problematic country. In many respects, we had huge problems with Sudan because we saw it as a source of instability. We saw it as a source of exporting terrorism. That’s why it was on the list of states sponsors of terrorism. Very important to note. That relationship unfortunately existed for a long time. Can we even say decades?

United States – Sudan New Partnership 

“The United States now sees Sudan as a partner, sees Prime Minister Hamdok’s government as one that we can cooperate with. We are working with international partners to make sure that Sudan can succeed because we see Sudan now as transforming into a country which will promote stability in the region.” – U.S. Ambassador Nagy

No  Date Given For The U.S. To  Remove Sudan From  State Sponsor of Terror List

Nagy Addressed Growing International Calls for the U.S. to remove Sudan from the list of state-sponsored terrorism.  Sudan’s new Prime Minister urges U.S. to drop the country for the terror sponsor list.  However, Nagy stated that  it will not happen overnight, and will take some time for this to happen.

Ambassador Nagy stated:   “As far as the state sponsor of terrorism goes, this is also very important to note. You know if we could flip a switch and end it that would be one thing. But the removing the state sponsor of terrorism designation, it is not an event, it is a process. We can work with Sudan and the new government to make that process go as quickly as possible, but I cannot sit here today and give you dates, how long, when will happen what because there are a number of legal constraints tied up in that process. So while we sympathize with all of our friends around the world who are calling for an end to the state sponsor of terrorism, the United States of America has to follow the legal process working with the government of Sudan. And I can assure you we have a very cooperative relationship.”

What Does the United States Propose to Fight Terrorist Expansion in the  African Sahel?

“A year ago the situation and the extent of terrorist activity was basically within the Sahelian countries. As we all know, very unfortunate events during last year that what I call a virus has spread to Burkina Faso. During my past year as Assistant Secretary, I had the privilege now traveling to 22 different countries, including many of the coastal states of West Africa. And I can tell you that the governments of those costal states are also quite concerned over the virus spreading further. The best way to address this is the way doctors address viruses. It’s a multi-dimensional, multi-faceted approach. It cannot just be on the security side. Because if we address it uniquely on the security level, we can, working together, get rid of terrorists. But then what? If it’s a blank space that’s left, then who’s going to fill that?” – Ambassador Nagy said in response to a journalist’s question on U.S. role in fighting terror in Sahel.

Nagy also said the the highlight for him of the Africa Bureau’s participation in last week’s UN General Assembly,   was when Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan hosted a U.S.-Africa Business Roundtable which included African ministers, U.S. business executives and other senior U.S. persons to discuss “the administration’s number one priority of very dramatically increasing trade and investment with the continent and some of the exciting tools that the U.S. Government now brings to that endeavor.”

Nagy also said it was productive  to hear directly from the African ministers as to what they are doing in their environments to improve attractions for U.S. business people. And also from the U.S. business executives.  Among them were  some of the major corporations that have long been on the  African continent. He pointed out that General Electric has been on the continent for some 120 years “which just absolutely surprised me.”  Nagy stated that this is a testament of how positive they view the business environment on the continent.

“Because as I have said over and over and over again since I’ve been in this job now a little bit over a year, I know in my heart that U.S. businesses are exactly what Africa needs to bring the jobs and jobs and jobs that Africa’s young people need now and going to the future.”

-U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor Nagy