KHARTOUM, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said on Monday that Sudan's removal from the U.S. list of states sponsoring terrorism "helps tackle debts and improves the investment environment."

"This is a historic day. Today we return to the international community. This decision helps to implement programs of the transitional period," said Hamdok at a press conference in the capital Khartoum.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. Embassy in Sudan officially announced the removal of Sudan from the list of states sponsoring terrorism.

"The congressional notification period of 45 days has lapsed and the Secretary of State has signed a notification stating rescission of Sudan's State Sponsor of Terrorism designation is effective as of today (December 14), to be published in the Federal Register," said the embassy on its Facebook page.

On Oct. 19, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would remove Sudan from the list after Sudan paid 335 million U.S. dollars to American victims.

The United States listed Sudan as one of the countries sponsoring terrorism in 1993.