Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, will not join an Islamic summit in Saudi Arabia with US President Donald Trump, AFP news agency quotes his office as saying.
He has apologised to to King Salman of Saudi Arabia for being unable to attend, according to the Suna news agency.
His planned attendance at Sunday’s summit of Arab and Muslim leaders in Riyadh had drawn strong criticism from Washington.
Sudan was one of seven included in Mr Trump’s proposed travel ban, along with Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
Economic sanctions were imposed against Sudan in 1997 after the state was labelled a “sponsor of terrorism” by the US.
Mr Bashir has evaded arrest since his indictment by the ICC for alleged genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the conflict in Darfur that has killed tens of thousands.
