The United States (US) led by President Barack Obama will ease some trade and financial sanctions on Sudan later today in recognition of its efforts to fight "terrorism", a White House official has said.

Ceoafrica gathered that the move to ease the sanctions, nearly 20 years after they were imposed, is the latest sign that President Barack Obama is trying to improve US relations with countries traditionally seen as hostile before he hands over power to Donald Trump next week.

Relations between the US and Sudan have improved lately, with Secretary of States John Kerry meeting with his Sudanese counterpart twice, while the US envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Donald Booth, visiting Khartoum several times.

However, Sudan which has been a US trade embargo since 1997 for its alleged support for militant Islamist groups would remain on the US "state sponsor of terror" list, the officials added.  

Killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was based in Khartoum from 1992 to 1996.

Sudan's President, Omar al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and genocide related to the conflict in Darfur, charges he denied.  

The US refused President Bashir a visa to attend the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 because of the ICC warrant.