Sudan has criticised the United States after Army Chief General Abdel-Fattah Burhan was unable to attend the high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly in New York because he was not issued a US visa.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim raised the issue while addressing the General Assembly on Monday.
According to Ibrahim, the Sudanese military leader was prevented from participating because the host country did not issue the required visa.
“The host country prevented this by failing to issue the appropriate visa for His Excellency to participate in the high-level segment,” Ibrahim told delegates.
People familiar with the matter said Washington withheld Burhan’s visa amid disagreements surrounding a proposed ceasefire intended to halt the conflict between Sudan’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Sudanese foreign minister also used his address to call for an end to external involvement in the conflict, particularly the supply of weapons, ammunition and foreign fighters.
Ibrahim argued that weapons should remain under the exclusive control of the Sudanese state as part of any lasting settlement.
“The just solution in Sudan, which ensures that the conflict does not reignite, requires halting the continuous foreign interventions,” he said.
He also called for the disarmament of forces outside state control.
Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict between the army and the RSF since April 2023. The fighting has triggered a major humanitarian crisis and forced millions of people from their homes.
A UN-backed investigation released this month found that international support networks have contributed to sustaining the conflict by providing fighters, weapons and military technology.
The findings have added to international concern over the role of external actors in prolonging Sudan’s war.
The conflict has continued despite repeated diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a ceasefire and creating conditions for a political settlement.
