No Place Deserves A Fortress More

United States Dedicates New Embassy Compound in Khartoum, Sudan:

U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Sudan, Robert Whitehead; the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Government of Sudan, Ambassador Rahamatalla Mohamed Osman; Under Secretary for Management, Patrick F. Kennedy; Assistant Secretary for Africa Affairs, Johnnie Carson; and Managing Director Program Development, Coordination and Support of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, Joseph Toussaint, dedicated the Khartoum New Embassy Compound (NEC) in Sudan today.

The dedication of the NEC in Khartoum marks the 72nd diplomatic facility to be completed by the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) since 2001. In the last nine years, OBO has moved more than 21,000 individuals into safe, secure and functional facilities. OBO has built 27 new facilities in Africa and have an additional 10 projects in design or construction on the continent.

The Khartoum NEC provides a secure, safe, and functional facility for approximately 210 embassy employees. The NEC consists of nine buildings including a chancery, office annex, Marine Security Guard Quarters, recreation facility, support annex with maintenance shops, utility building, and three compound access control structures.

The site’s landscaping creates a unified environment for its nine buildings – demonstrating the U.S. Government’s commitment to sustainable design as well as excellence in architecture. The compound’s design incorporates many energy saving and sustainable features and is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council.

The approximate cost of the entire project is $172 million. B.L. Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama, utilizing a design/build contract, constructed the NEC and the architectural firm of Page Southerland Page of Arlington, Virginia designed the facility. The NEC was completed on March 2010, with over 500 workers involved in the construction.

The completion of the NEC in Khartoum reflects the importance of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Sudan, and emphasizes the commitment of the United States to remain engaged with the Sudanese people as they strive to build a peaceful and prosperous society.