U.S. Withholds Visa for Sudanese Leader Over Ceasefire Dispute, Sources Claim
U.S. denies visa to Sudan's leader over ceasefire demands, as tensions escalate ahead of UN speech.
POLICY WIRE — New York, United States — The United States is reportedly withholding an entry visa for Sudanese Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, just days before his scheduled appearance at the United Nations General Assembly, according to a letter from Sudan’s UN ambassador requesting global intervention.
The decision appears to be tied to Burhan’s refusal to endorse a 90-day ceasefire proposal put forward by U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos. A Sudanese diplomatic source and a Western analyst familiar with U.S.-Sudan relations confirmed the condition, though neither the U.S. State Department nor Sudanese authorities have publicly commented on the matter.
Sudan’s army has expressed reservations about the ceasefire plan this summer, and the impasse marks a significant deterioration in U.S.-Sudan relations since the conflict between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023. The letter, sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warned that the visa delay could prevent Burhan from participating in the General Assembly, a key event for international diplomacy.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
