Sudan’s envoy to U.S. first in 25 years

CAIRO — Sudan’s Foreign Ministry announced that it appointed the country’s first envoy to the U.S. in more than a quarter century, a step toward normalizing relations after the overthrow of former President Omar alBashir last year.

The ministry said late Monday that the U.S. administration approved the appointment of veteran diplomat Noureldin Sati to serve as Sudan’s ambassador to Washington.

The two countries had for more than 25 years appointed only charges d’affaires, a diplomatic rank lower than ambassador, to run their missions in Washington and Khartoum, it said.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said in December that the two countries would exchange ambassadors without putting a time frame on the nominations. The U.S. ambassador to Sudan would be nominated by President Donald Trump and needs to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.