Sudan External Relations are conducted within the dynamic framework of commitment to documented multilateral charters and conventions as well as bilateral agreements. Sudan has duly effected its membership to the prescribed universal and regional / sub-regional organizations immediately after independence in 1.1.1956 as well as immediately after those organizations got established later. Sudan joined the United Nations and signed the charter and the statute of the International Court of Justice on 12th November 1956 i.e. at the First General Assembly Session after its Independence.

Sudan joined the Arab League on 19th January 1956. With its brotherly African States, Sudan has co-founded the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on 25th May 1963. Sudan also is a founding member of the Organization of the Islamic Countries on 25th September 1969. Sudan also is a pioneer member of the Non-Aligned Movement 1955 (on the eve of Sudan Independence).

In 1986 Sudan initiated and set up with its East Africa sisterly countries “The Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Desertification (IGADD)”, which was later revitalized and transformed into “the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in 1996, comprising seven states namely: - Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.

Sudan has joined its Eastern, Central and Southern Africa sisterly states to establish “The Common Market for Eastern and Southern African – COMESA” “in 1993 replacing the PTA organization. COMESA presently comprises twenty African member States.

On February 1998 Sudan co-founded with five other sisterly African nations “The Community of Sahel- Saharan States- (CEN-SAD)’’. This community was established in Tripoli- Libya by the Leader and Heads of state of:

The Great Socialist People’s Libyan Jamahiriya.
The Republic of the Sudan
The Republic of Chad
The Republic of Mali
The Republic of Niger
Burkina Faso

Later: the Republic of Central Africa, State of Eritrea, The Republic of Senegal, the Republic of the Gambia, the Republic of Djibouti, have joined the Community.

The Community’s summit meeting in Khartoum (February 2001) has approved the admission of more five African states which had applied for membership. They are: the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Tunisia, the Republic of Morocco and the Republic of Somalia. Thus, the membership of the CEN-SAD was consequently boosted from 11 to 16 African states.

On 15th January 2001, the OAU declared Sudan as the eighth member of OAU to deposit instruments of Ratification of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, which was adopted by the OAU summit Conference in Lome – Togo on July 2000.

Recently, Sudan hosted on Dec 1998 (The First OAU Ministerial Meeting on Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Africa) which was attended by all member states of the OAU.

On Nov.-2000 Sudan hosted the 8th summit of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development – IGAD. Consequently, the President of the Republic of the Sudan, H.E Omer Hassan Ahmed AL Bashir, has assumed the chairmanship of the IGAD Assembly of heads of State and Government. Sudan, on February 2001, has also assumed the chairmanship of the Presidency Council of the Community of the Sahel-Saharan States upon convening of the Summit Conference in Khartoum.

It is noteworthy that Sudan pioneering role in Africa and Arab countries liberation and nationalism building processes is definitively deeply rooted and conspicuous. The assistance given by Sudan to African and Arab brothers as well as to other friendly countries remains a glorious chapter of sacrifice and altruism.

On Africa –Arab cooperation Sudan’s role has been a distinguished and leading one. In this regard when in 1973 Arab and African nations realized the imperative for the institutionalization of their highly needed genuine cooperation they have chosen Khartoum to be the seat for the first cherished institution, which is (The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa).

On the other hand, Sudan has been establishing bilateral relations with his brotherly and friendly countries in accordance with Vienna and other respective Conventions.

Presently Sudan has sent more than sixty Diplomatic and Consular Missions to different brotherly and friendly countries as well as to International and Regional Organizations.

Likewise Sudan is currently receiving above fifty Resident Diplomatic and Consular Missions and nearly twenty Non-Resident Diplomatic Missions. It is hosting Headquarters of eight regional and sub-regional Governmental Organizations / Institutions. Besides it hosts missions of twelve UN Specialized Agencies and International Organizations.

Sudan on the other hand is the seat of six international Non-Governmental Organizations as well as hosting above seventy Foreign Non-Governmental Organizations mainly from Europe, America and Asia.

1. Lome Convention
2. The General preferential System for Trade between developing Countries and E.U.
3. Common Market for East and South Africa (COMESA).
4. Arab Agreement for development and promotion of trade between Arab Countries.
5. permanent Committee for Economical and commercial Co-Operation between Islamic Countries.
6. Economical African Agreement for African " Abouja Agreement".
7. International standers Organization.
8. Sudan has Status of an observer in the World Trade Organization until the completion of the procedures of being a full member.