Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has not been granted a US visa that would have allowed him to travel to New York to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The visa denial comes amid disagreements with Washington over a proposed ceasefire in Sudan.
al-Burhan, who also chairs Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, was expected in New York to deliver Sudan’s address to the UN General Assembly. His trip has, however, been postponed after US authorities failed to issue his visa.
According to Sudanese and diplomatic sources cited by Reuters, the visa was reportedly linked to al-Burhan’s acceptance of a US proposal for a 90-day truce. The Sudanese government opposes the proposal, arguing that such a pause could allow the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to regroup.
Sudan has appealed to the United Nations to intervene with Washington.
In a letter to António Guterres, Sudan’s ambassador to the UN, Al-Harith Idriss, requested that visas be issued to al-Burhan and his delegation.
The Sudanese envoy argued that the absence of a visa could prevent the head of the delegation from personally participating in the General Assembly proceedings and referred to obligations under the agreement governing the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” that the visa had not been issued. According to his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, the UN Secretariat immediately raised the matter with US authorities and is continuing talks with Washington.
The United States has not publicly confirmed that the visa was conditional on acceptance of the ceasefire proposal. The State Department has nevertheless said that neither the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the RSF nor their respective leaders represent Sudan’s legitimate constitutional governance, while stressing that Washington intends to continue efforts to end the conflict.
The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, known as “Hemedti”, broke out in April 2023. The two sides have since fought for control of the country, while several diplomatic initiatives have sought to secure a ceasefire and pave the way for negotiations.
In al-Burhan’s absence, Sudan is represented in New York by Foreign Minister Mohieldin Salem.
TE/Sf/lb/as/APA