United States denies visa to Sudan's army chief for UN General Assembly speech

The United States has blocked Sudan's de facto leader, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, from attending the UN General Assembly in New York, denying him a visa for his scheduled address on Wednesday. Burhan, whose military forces have been engaged in civil war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, had previously addressed the assembly twice since the conflict began. Diplomatic sources told AFP that Washington's decision represents a departure from normal practice regarding UN representatives.

According to diplomatic sources, the US State Department conditioned the visa on Burhan accepting a three-month truce. The Sudanese government rejected this condition, arguing that a temporary ceasefire would merely provide the Rapid Support Forces an opportunity to regroup and prepare for renewed attacks. The US State Department declined to directly address the visa issue but stated that neither the army nor the RSF, nor their respective leaders, represent legitimate constitutional governance for Sudan. Washington said it would seek to increase pressure on all parties involved in the conflict.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern through his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who called on the United States to respect its obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement. This agreement restricts Washington's ability to deny entry to representatives of UN member states.