Sudan Airways seeks post-embargo Boeing, Airbus spare parts

AFP, KHARTOUM:  Sudan’s national carrier aims to revive its fleet by procuring new components from Boeing and Airbus after Washington lifted its 20-year-old trade embargo on Khartoum, a minister said Sunday.

Sudan Airways, one of the oldest airlines in Africa, has 12 of its 14-strong fleet of aircraft grounded after failing to source spare parts from Boeing and Airbus because of the sanctions imposed in 1997.

But on Friday, Washington lifted the embargo after months of diplomatic negotiations with Khartoum.

The airline is now expected to be a key beneficiary of the move.

“We expect our cooperation with Boeing and Airbus to resume as we had excellent relations with them before the sanctions,” Transport Minister Makkawi Mohamed Awad told the news agency.

Awad said the airline had been “severely impacted” by the sanctions as it had only Boeing and Airbus planes.

“One by one all our planes stopped flying until the entire fleet was grounded because we were unable to get spare parts,” he said.

“You go to Khartoum airport and you will find all our planes parked.”

Sudan Airways declined to give access to the news agency to photograph its aircraft on the ground.

The top US envoy in Khartoum, Steven Koutsis, told reporters on Saturday that the US Department of Commerce had already addressed the issue of spares that Sudanese airlines or the country’s railways need.

“Only a few parts that have what we call dual use technology will remain prohibited,” he told reporters.

Washington imposed the sanctions over Khartoum’s alleged support for Islamist militant groups.

Sudan Airways seeks post-embargo Boeing, Airbus spare parts

AFP, KHARTOUM: Sudans national carrier aims to revive its fleet by procuring new components from Boeing and Airbus after Washington lifted its 20-year-old trade embargo on Khartoum, a minister said Sunday. Sudan Airways, one of the oldest airlines in Africa, has 12 of its 14-strong fleet of aircraft grounded after failing to source spare parts from Boeing and Airbus because of the sanctions imposed in 1997. But on Friday, Washington lifted the embargo after months of diplomatic negotiations with Khartoum. The airline is now expected to be a key beneficiary of the move. We expect our cooperation with Boeing and Airbus to resume as we had excellent relations with them before the sanctions, Transport Minister Makkawi Mohamed Awad told the news agency. Awad said the airline had been severely impacted by the sanctions as it had only Boeing and Airbus planes. One by one all our planes stopped flying until the entire fleet was grounded because we were unable to get spare parts, he said. You go to Khartoum airport and you will find all our planes parked. Sudan Airways declined to give access to the news agency to photograph its aircraft on the ground. The top US envoy in Khartoum, Steven Koutsis, told reporters on Saturday that the US Department of Commerce had already addressed the issue of spares that Sudanese airlines or the countrys railways need. Only a few parts that have what we call dual use technology will remain prohibited, he told reporters. Washington imposed the sanctions over Khartoums alleged support for Islamist militant groups.