Description: The US State Department through an official statement announced that It blocked the visa of the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Abdul Fattah Al – Burhan effectively cancelling his participation at the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly). The State Department’s action was suspected of being linked with Burhan’s refusal to commit the SAF towards a humanitarian ceasefire with the RSF in the civil war in Sudan. Burhan rejected the US proposal, claiming that any unilateral cessation of hostilities would allow the RSF to regroup, rearm and launched renewed offensives. He also conditioned the SAF’s acceptance of the ceasefire proposal to the RSF’s withdrawal from several occupied cities in the Kordofan provinces. The visa incident added to the strained relations between the US and Sudan’s army chief, after earlier this month, the US proposed a country – wide arms embargo. The SAF claimed that the embargo would further strengthen the RSF and weaken the SAF’s position in the war. Tommy Pigott, State Department spokesperson stated that neither Burhan and the SAF nor Hemedti or the RSF represent the legitimate government force of the Sudanese people. The former Sudanese civilian Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok and his anti – war coalition were in the US and would attend the UNGA.
Impact: The US is likely delegitimizing both the SAF and the RSF as ruling forces in Sudan due to their reluctance to commit to an extensive diplomatic process that could eventually result in a peace platform. Pigot’s denouncement of Burhan and Hemedti likely indicates that the US would resort to pressuring both leaders in the short to mid – term. This pressure would be highly likely reflected through sanctions, arms embargoes and other methods of political impediment in order to bring both warring parties to the negotiating table. Hamdok’s presence at the UNGA likely indicates that the US are exploring another venue of approach to the Sudanese civil war in terms of potential future partners or third – party influence that could change or modify the conflict’s scale. Hamdok’s legitimacy was stripped by both the SAF and the RSF in their coup in 2021 and he likely couldn’t be positioned as a governing force in the short to mid – term since he lacks military support in the country.