A Republican member of the US House of Representatives has introduced a bill to establish an economic partnership between the United States and Sudan. The proposed partnership would involve exchanging Sudan’s mineral and natural resources for American technology, equipment and expertise in the agriculture and mining sectors. The initiative links future economic cooperation to tangible progress in protecting civilians, achieving political stability and establishing a legitimate, civilian-led governing authority in Sudan.
The bill, introduced by Representative Jim Baird of Indiana on 13 October, signals US interest in Sudan’s natural wealth, particularly minerals used in modern industries. However, it sets political and security conditions that must be met before this interest can be translated into an actual partnership, as Sudan remains engulfed in a war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that began in April 2023.
The legislation is numbered H.R. 10795 and is titled the Sudan Investment in Minerals, Partnership, Agriculture and Trade Act, commonly known as the Sudan IMPACT Act. It has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for consideration.
The bill proposes establishing a US–Sudan Agriculture and Minerals Partnership through which the United States would provide modern agricultural equipment, precision farming and irrigation technologies, and agricultural processing machinery. It would also facilitate the provision of mining technology, geological surveying equipment and expertise, improved mine safety measures, and technologies for addressing environmental damage.
