Khartoum, Jan 15 (IANS): The UN welcomed the United States' decision to lift some sanctions imposed on Sudan.

"This decision is recognition of steps taken by the government of Sudan during recent months in a number of important areas," said the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan Marta Ruedas, in a statement on Saturday.

She congratulated Sudan "on the implementation of these steps which have led to the improvement of relations between the Republic of Sudan and the US", Xinhua news agency reported.

The UN official further said that this decision would provide a solid platform for the sustainable development in Sudan.

On Friday, the US President Barack Obama issued a decision cancelling two executive orders imposing economic sanctions on Sudan while the Sudanese Foreign Ministry welcomed the American decision.

The ministry regarded the US decision as "a fruit of a close cooperation between the two countries in international and regional issues of mutual concern."

The US has been imposing sanctions on Sudan since 1997 and putting it on its list of countries sponsoring terrorism since 1993.

Meanwhile, a Sudanese top diplomat said on Saturday that his country expected full normalization of relations between Sudan and the US after the step.

"The U.S. decision on lifting the economic sanctions on Sudan came as a result of a comprehensive dialogue that has continued for about two years," said Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour at a press conference here.

Ghandour stressed the importance of the U.S. decision to lift sanctions on Sudan, saying "these decisions will remove all the barriers which have been crippling the flow of investments to Sudan".