Russia and Sudan's naval base agreement is based on mutual respect and sovereignty, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yousuf Ahmed al-Sharif told Sputnik Africa in an exclusive interview, speaking about plans to establish a Russian naval base in Sudan.
"[The] agreement was signed between Sudan and the Russian Federation on the facility on the Red Sea to provide the Russian ships with necessary services and so on. […] And we are willing to continue our efforts on consolidating the idea and turning it into reality," al-Sharif said.
The Sudanese top diplomat emphasized that the agreement was made with particular respect for the North African country's sovereignty.
Apart from that, as Khartoum is nearing full liberation, and while fighting continues in some parts, it is expected to end within days, the head of Sudan's diplomacy pointed out.
Sudan's roadmap for post-conflict recovery and governance will include the establishment of a new civilian-led government, under an amended constitutional framework, he noted.
"The first duty that will fall on the shoulders of the government is what we call the reconstruction program for Sudan after liberating the whole country from the militia. This is very important, and then we will establish a new government and a new civilian government led by a civilian prime minister. This will be on the basis of an amendment of the constitutional document that rules the transitional period," the Sudanese minister said.
Furthermore, such a move will pave the way for elections in Sudan, the foreign minister added.
"This will lead to a consensus agreement on how to rule Sudan after the end of the war. And that will result in preparing the ground for elections; national elections mean that the people of Sudan will say their word about who is to rule Sudan in the future," he noted.
Russia Will Become a Key Partner in Sudan's Development and Post-Conflict Reconstruction
According to the foreign minister, Russia will become a key partner in Sudan's development and post-conflict reconstruction efforts.
"Russia is going to be one of our main partners in the area of development. We also think that Russia can help us in the area of reconstruction of Sudan because of the damage that was caused by the rebels in various parts of Sudan," al-Sharif said.
The top diplomat also highlighted the bilateral support of Russia and Sudan on the international stage. He praised Russia's veto of a UK-sponsored UN Security Council resolution on the protection of civilians in Sudan, citing Khartoum's reliance on "friendly countries," particularly Russia, to block the British-drafted resolution, which Sudan viewed as paving the way for foreign military intervention.
"And because we are not members of the Security Council, we have resorted to our friends in the council, especially Russia. And we explained to the Russian government the idea behind the resolution. And we found that the Russian government understands very well the intentions of the British resolution and in the last resort they prevented the resolution by using the veto," al-Sharif explained.
Al-Sharif emphasized that the Sudanese authorities welcomed Russia's move, as "it was in support of the government of Sudan and the people of Sudan."
Palestinians Deserve the Right to Their Own State in Their Homeland
Commenting on US President Donald Trump's recent statements on the planned relocation of Gazans, the minister said that the idea of trying to move the Palestinian people away from their country to other places is not acceptable to Sudan.
"My opinion is that the Palestinian people deserve the right to have their own state in Palestine, with the capital of that state being East Jerusalem," the Sudanese top diplomat stated.
Sudan supports Palestinians' rights and hopes for a reconsideration of US policies on the issue, al-Sharif added.
"We fully support the rights of the Palestinian people in their country. We hope that President Trump revisits his position regarding the Palestinian rights because the Palestinian people deserve to have their national right, to have their own state," the minister noted.
BRICS Offers Economic Assistance Without a Hidden Political Agenda & Coercion
The role of BRICS in fostering economic cooperation with the Global South is very important, as its members do not pursue hidden political agendas unlike the West, al-Sharif said.
"These countries, they don't have a hidden agenda, a political agenda in their economic cooperation amongst themselves and between them and other countries. So, they can really play a very important role in fostering economic cooperation, helping countries like Sudan and other countries that need economic cooperation and economic assistance," al-Sharif stated.
In contrast to the West, the BRICS countries' approach is based on mutual interests rather than political or economic coercion, the Sudanese top diplomat added.
"They [BRICS] can help without a hidden agenda or dictating some policies on the countries concerned. […] They can play a very important role, unlike other countries in the West who wish to dictate certain policies and certain decisions of various countries based on their agenda, not on the interests of the countries concerned," he explained.
Sputnik Africa Helps Promotes Deeper Mutual Understanding
Honest journalism is key to fostering mutual understanding and cooperation between Africa and Russia, Sudan's foreign minister said on Sputnik Africa's work.
"If people do not have enough information about each other, then they will not have understanding. So, information is the means of providing the facts and realities of different parts of the world, and this will lead to better understanding. So, the more you know about Africa in Russia and the more Africa knows about Russia in the African countries, the better for their mutual understanding and mutual cooperation," he explained.
The Sudanese top diplomat also emphasized the need for Sputnik Africa to focus on covering Russia-Africa relations, as well as Africa's economic development and regional cooperation, stressing that the continent's rich resources are often exploited by Western countries.
"And I think it is important for your organization to also reflect on the internal situations of the various African countries, especially in the area of economic development in these countries, because many African countries are very rich in resources. […] But these resources are exploited by other countries, especially countries from the West," al-Sharif stated.