国际英语新闻:UN welcomes U.S. decision to lift sanctions on Sudan

KHARTOUM, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Sudan on Saturday welcomed the U.S. decision to lift the economic sanctions on Sudan, vowing to cooperate with Sudan and international partners to achieve stability in the country.

"The team recognizes all the collective efforts exerted by all parties, especially the Government of Sudan which in the past nine months has demonstrated through concrete progress the country's interest in improving humanitarian access throughout the country," the UNCT said in a statement.

"While recognizing these milestones, the UN and other multilateral organizations continue to engage the Government of Sudan to enable further cooperation on humanitarian and development priorities to improve stability in the country and throughout the region," it added.

The UNCT further vowed to continue to promote international cooperation to overcome challenges with all the entities of the UN system that carry out development, emergency, recovery and transition activities in Sudan.

The United States on Friday decided to lift its economic sanctions on Sudan permanently, citing Sudan's "sustained positive actions to maintain a cessation of hostilities in conflict areas in Sudan, improve humanitarian access throughout Sudan, and maintain cooperation with the United States on addressing regional conflicts and the threat of terrorism."

The U.S. State Department announced that the decision would go into effect as of current Oct. 12.

The U.S. has been imposing sanctions on Sudan since 1997 and listing it one of the countries sponsoring terrorism.