President Barack Obama has renewed sanctions against Sudan, saying the government's actions and policies pose a continuing threat to US national security and foreign policy.

Obama had said he would renew the sanctions when he announced the administration's new policy toward Sudan last week.

The sanctions restrict US trade and investment in Sudan. They also prohibit transactions with people and entities the US believes is contributing to the genocide in the Darfur region.

Last week, the administration outlined a new approach to settling the conflicts in Sudan. The new policy rests on offering incentives for the government to end the violence and threatening stronger pressures if it does not.