KHARTOUM — Sudanese Minister of Finance Dr. Gibriel Ibrahim confirmed that Saudi Arabia is playing a key role in getting Sudan"s external debts at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a number of Arab funds exempted, praising Saudi Arabia"s effort in removing Sudan from a list of terror-sponsoring states. During a Ramadan Iftar (breakfast) banquet hosted by Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Sudan Ali Bin Hassan Jaafar at his residence in Khartoum on Wednesday, the Sudanese finance minister said that Sudan is looking forward to promoting its current partnership with Saudi Arabia to a strategic partnership stage that enhances bilateral economic cooperation. Benefiting from the potentials and opportunities available in the two countries qualify them to provide the best model of securing Arab food security, the minister added. For his part, Ambassador Jaafar affirmed that Saudi Arabia is working on increasing the joint economic cooperation with Sudan and enhancing investments in various fields according to the two countries" leaders directives in a way that benefits the two brotherly countries and peoples, announcing that the Kingdom will participate in the upcoming Paris Conference Friends of Sudan.