U.S. sanctions on Sudan politicized: UN official

A UN official said on Monday that the U.S. sanctions on Sudan are politicized and questioned.

"I consider the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Sudan as not compatible with the UN special practices in this field," Iddris Al-Jazairi, UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur, said at a press conference.

Al-Jazairi, who is assigned to assess the negative impacts of the unilateral coercive measures imposed on the Sudan, said that the UN Security Council (UNSC) avoids comprehensive sanctions which have negative impacts on important categories of innocent citizens.

"The facts proved that these measures have not affected the officials or the elites, but they have completely impacted the innocent citizens," he said.

In his proposals to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council on gradual lifting of the sanctions, Al-Jazairi said the measures should be specific in time, and clear in objectives.

Washington has listed Sudan among countries sponsoring terrorism, has been imposing sanctions on it since 1997.

Official data has suggested that Sudan would see a loss of more than four billion U.S. Dollars annually, not to mention the economic damages caused by the standstill of key industries in the country.

Khartoum has lost 70 percent of its oil revenues in 2011 when South Sudan became independent, which is another heavy blow to Sudan's already disastrous economy. Endit