Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim has criticised the United States for not issuing Army Chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan a visa to attend the UN General Assembly in New York, while calling for an end to foreign involvement in Sudan’s war. Addressing the General Assembly on Monday, Ibrahim said the failure to issue the visa prevented Burhan from delivering Sudan’s planned address. The United States has linked the visa dispute to a proposed 90-day ceasefire, according to sources familiar with the matter.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed concern over the conflict and urged the warring sides to end hostilities and pursue an inclusive political process. The United Nations has also warned about the risk of the conflict spreading across the region. Sudan’s foreign minister called for an end to the flow of foreign weapons, ammunition and fighters into the country and argued that weapons should be held exclusively by state institutions.
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023 following a dispute over the country’s political transition. It has since displaced more than 14 million people, according to UN-linked estimates, creating one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. A UN-backed fact-finding mission reported in September that international networks have supplied fighters, weapons, military technology and logistical support to the warring parties. Investigators also found evidence that foreign-supplied drones have been used by both sides, with attacks causing significant civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. The findings have intensified calls for countries involved in supplying military support to halt those networks and for stronger enforcement of the UN arms embargo.
