Sudan says it will discuss trade, migration with Israel

Sudanese and Israeli officials will meet in coming weeks to discuss a pack of cooperation deals to “achieve mutual interests of two peoples,” Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

ministry statement came three days after President Donald Trump anunced that Sudan would start rmalizing ties with Israel . statement said deals would cover agriculture, trade, aviation and migration, but did t provide details on timing or location of meetings.

Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, tweeted Sunday saying that Israel was “sending $5 million worth of wheat immediately to our new friends” in Sudan.

rmalization deal came with ar pledge by Trump to remove Sudan from list of state sponsors of terrorism. U.S. has linked de-listing Sudan to deal to rmalize ties with Jewish state.

Both deals would open door for Sudan to get international loans and aid, which it needs to revive its battered ecomy and rescue its transition to democracy. A popular uprising last year led military to overthrow longtime autocrat, Omar al-Bashir.

Sudan's Foreign Ministry said Sunday that U.S. would also work with its international partners to relieve country's foreign debt, which exceeds $60 billion. Both U.S. and Israel would also help Sudan “consolidate its democracy, enhance food security .. and fight terrorism,” it said.

Sudan has agreed to designate Leban’s Hezbollah movement as a terrorist organization, something that Israel has long sought from its neighbors and ors in international community, a senior U.S. official said last week.

Hezbollah condemned Sudan's deal with Israel in a statement Sunday, saying it was made “in return for a miserly and insignificant price," and would lead to downfall of transitional government.

Sudan's transitional government has promised elections as soon as 2022. However, some factions within political alliance supporting government have voiced ir opposition rmalization with Israel, including Sudan’s former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi who heads country’s largest political party.

Sudan is third Arab state to rmalize ties with Israel this year, as part of U.S.-brokered deals in run-up to Election Day, following United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Palestinians say recognitions amount to betrayal.