Key facts
- The US is urging enhanced UN sanctions against the warring parties in Sudan.
- A proposed US resolution aims to expand an arms embargo across Sudan and include drones.
The United States is pushing for enhanced UN sanctions against Sudan's warring factions to pressure them into negotiating an end to the conflict. A proposed US resolution seeks to expand an arms embargo and halt external military support fueling the war.
The US-led initiative highlights the international community's growing concern over the devastating conflict in Sudan and seeks to leverage diplomatic pressure to achieve a negotiated settlement, potentially impacting regional stability and humanitarian aid efforts.
The United States is advocating for stronger United Nations sanctions against the warring factions in Sudan, aiming to compel them to negotiate an end to the ongoing conflict. Massad Boulos, a senior US adviser for Arab and African affairs, informed the UN Security Council that continued financial, military, and political support to either the government forces or the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is fueling the war.
Boulos indicated that the Security Council possesses the means to curb the substantial and increasing military assistance, including drones and related technologies, being supplied to both sides by numerous external actors. The US has put forth a draft resolution that proposes expanding the existing arms embargo to cover the entire country and all parties operating within its territory.
This push for sanctions comes as the conflict, now in its fourth year, has resulted in at least 59,000 deaths and displaced 13 million people, with significant portions of the nation facing famine. The conflict originated from a power struggle that emerged after Sudan's transition to democracy following the 2019 ouster of longtime autocratic President Omar al-Bashir.
Despite the US efforts, Sudan's army chief, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, stated that new sanctions would not deter his troops from continuing the fight. He asserted that the Sudanese people would not be subjugated by such measures. Meanwhile, UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo observed that the parties remain entrenched in a military-focused approach, emphasizing the urgent need for greater international attention and action to alter their perspective.