Sudan says 'no obstacles' to Russian Red Sea naval base

MOSCOW — Sudan's foreign minister said on Wednesday there were "no obstacles" to Russia's bid to establish a naval base on the country's Red Sea coast.

Moscow has for years had its sights on a base near Port Sudan.

It has also backed rival factions in the Sudanese civil war as it strives to advance its influence with governments across Africa.

During a visit to Moscow on Wednesday, Sudan's foreign minister said his country and Russia were in "complete agreement" on the matter but did not provide further details.

"We are in complete agreement on this matter, and there are no obstacles whatsoever," Sudan's foreign minister Ali Youssef said.

This is also an easy question," Youssef added, speaking alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a press conference.

Lavrov did not respond to Youssef's remarks or comment on the base.

Sudan relied militarily on Russia under strongman Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in 2019 following three decades in power marked by international isolation and crippling US sanctions.

His government had led negotiations that later resulted in a 25-year deal with Moscow to build and operate a naval base on the Red Sea.

After he was ousted, the Sudanese military put the deal under "review".

The fate of the base has been unclear since, with Sudan gripped by a civil war since 2023.