The United Kingdom's minister for Africa pledged on Monday (26 July 2010) to increase bilateral trade with Sudan during his first official visit to the country.
According to Reuters, Henry Bellingham told the media in Khartoum that the UK government will encourage businesses to boost their investments in Sudan, particularly in the oil and service sectors.
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and genocide in the Darfur region. Bellingham noted the UK's support for the ICC but said it would be wrong not to encourage trade between the two countries as it "equals wealth".