“Ambassador John Godfrey arrived today in Khartoum, the first U.S. Ambassador to Sudan in nearly 25 years.  As senior representative of the U.S. Government, Ambassador Godfrey will work to strengthen relations between the American and Sudanese people and to support their aspirations to freedom, peace, justice, and a transition to democracy,” the U.S. embassy said in a statement released after his arrival.

“He also looks forward to advancing priorities related to peace and security, economic development, and food security,” the embassy added.

After his arrival in Khartoum, John Godfrey said he would work to strengthen bilateral relations and support a democratic transition in Sudan.

“I am delighted to arrive in Sudan.  I look forward to deepening relations between Americans and Sudanese and to supporting the Sudanese people’s aspirations to freedom, peace, justice, and a transition to democracy,” Godfrey said on Twitter.

John Godfrey began his career as an assistant to the assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs. He later served as political and economic chief in Ashgabat and as a political officer in Damascus. From 2007 to 2009, he served as a political and economic counselor at the U.S. embassy in Tripoli.

In 2009 and 2010, he served as deputy political counselor for northern affairs at the Embassy of the United States, Baghdad. After serving as an arms control counselor at the United Nations Office at Vienna, he was chief of staff for Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns. He later served in the U.S. embassy in Riyadh. Since January 2021, Godfrey has served as acting coordinator for counterterrorism. (ILKHA)