In November 1997, president Bill Clinton signed an executive order imposing a comprehensive trade embargo on Sudan and freezing the assets of the government in Khartoum. These sweeping sanctions were prompted by Sudan's repeated violations of human rights, efforts to destabilise neighbouring governments and, crucially, its support for international terrorism. Osama Bin Laden was a long-time guest of the Sudanese government before he moved his operations to Afghanistan in 1996.
Over the years, the sanctions multiplied. In 2005, George W Bush piled on additional penalties, prohibiting US citizens from trading with Sudan's petrochemicals industries. Washington pointedly exempted South Sudan, then clamouring for independence, from the sanctions, conferring de facto legitimacy on the breakaway aspirations of its leaders and creating an internal imbalance that isolated the government of Omar Hassan Al Bashir. South Sudan seceded in 2011, taking with it three-quarters of united Sudan's oil wells.
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US lifts 20-year sanctions on Sudan
Obama orders lifting of trade sanctions on Sudan
South Sudan marks grim 6th independence anniversary
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What, observers began to ask, was the purpose of the sanctions? President Barack Obama's decision to revoke some of the penalties against Sudan before he left office in January seemed to suggest that the sanctions had failed to achieve their goals. But the opposite is true. The sanctions did not eliminate all the problems, but as Mr Obama's executive order stated, they produced a "marked reduction in offensive military hostilities" by Khartoum, while improving humanitarian access throughout Sudan and increasing its anti-terrorism cooperation with the US.
Donald Trump's decision this week to go even further in dismantling sanctions rewards what the US state department calls "sustained positive actions" by the government of Sudan in satisfying the conditions imposed on it by Washington. Among them is Sudan's extension of ceasefire with rebels until October. Khartoum, not long ago a major purchaser of North Korean weapons and not an insignificant trading partner of Iran's, has moved away from both Pyongyang and Tehran. Two of the world's deadliest regimes are a little weaker today, thanks to the sanctions.
Critics who say that sanctions relief to Sudan sends the wrong message neglect the disproportionate pain they caused the people of Sudan. They ignore, too, the obvious fact that by removing sanctions, the US is signalling to other rogue states that verifiable change in conduct will not go unnoticed or unrewarded. The road to redemption may be long, tortuous and painful, but it exists and is navigable. There is a lesson in here for all those who call for Iran's re-entry into the community of nations even as Tehran gratifies its nihilistic impulses by promoting terror in the region, abetting murderous tyranny in Syria and keeping alive its nuclear weapons programme. You don't alter the behaviour of a rogue regime by showering it with rewards. Rather, you reward a regime after it has altered its behaviour.
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Iraq negotiating over Iran sanctions impact
- US sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports took effect on Monday, November 5.
- Washington issued formal waivers to eight buyers of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue limited imports. Iraq did not receive a waiver.
- Iraq’s government is cooperating with the US to contain Iranian influence in the country, and increased Iraqi oil production is helping to make up for Iranian crude that sanctions are blocking from markets, US officials say.
- Iraq, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, pumped last month at a record 4.78 million barrels a day, former Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said on Oct. 20. Iraq exported 3.83 million barrels a day last month, according to tanker tracking and data from port agents.
- Iraq has been working to restore production at its northern Kirkuk oil field. Kirkuk could add 200,000 barrels a day of oil to Iraq’s total output, Hook said.
- The country stopped trucking Kirkuk oil to Iran about three weeks ago, in line with U.S. sanctions, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because they aren’t allowed to speak to media.
- Oil exports from Iran, OPEC’s third-largest supplier, have slumped since President Donald Trump announced in May that he’d reimpose sanctions. Iran shipped about 1.76 million barrels a day in October out of 3.42 million in total production, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
- Benchmark Brent crude fell 47 cents to $72.70 a barrel in London trading at 7:26 a.m. local time. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was 25 cents lower at $62.85 a barrel in New York. WTI held near the lowest level in seven months as concerns of a tightening market eased after the U.S. granted its waivers to buyers of Iranian crude.
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Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
