US blocks Sudanese army chief's UN visa pending acceptance of ceasefire plan

The United States has withheld an entry visa for Sudan’s de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, just days before his planned speech at the United Nations General Assembly. A letter from Sudan’s UN ambassador Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith says the visa will be granted only if Burhan signs a 90-day cease-fire proposal presented by US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos. The ambassador urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to intervene, noting that without the visa Burhan could not attend the Assembly in person.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed the Secretary-General had raised the issue with US officials. The dispute reflects the deepest dip in US-Sudan relations since the army-led conflict with the Rapid Support Forces erupted in April 2023, a war the UN labels the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Washington is also seeking to broaden an arms embargo beyond Darfur, a step the army’s supporters say would unfairly punish them.

Burhan, who has led Sudan since 2019 and lost international recognition after a 2021 coup, has previously rejected external cease-fire directives, arguing past pauses only allowed the RSF to regroup. The visa impasse underscores the broader diplomatic deadlock as civilian prime minister Abdalla Hamdok joins the UNGA with his anti-war coalition.