Washington is refusing to give Sudan’s de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, a visa to travel to New York to address the UN General Assembly, two diplomatic sources told AFP Tuesday, a moved confirmed by the UN.
Burhan’s internationally recognised government cemented power in a 2021 coup with Daglo’s support as his right-hand man, but the pair fell out in a power struggle. Sudan is presently being represented in New York by Foreign Minister Mohieldin Salem. Washington has similarly refused visas to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, as well as some members of Iran’s delegation to the gathering.
One diplomatic source said the United States withholding the visa was a “clear violation of the UN’s agreement with the US”. Another said the United States, which has repeatedly pushed for Sudan truce talks, had “conditioned the visa on Burhan accepting a three-month truce”, which the government says would only allow the RSF to regroup and attack. UN chief Antonio Guterres was “deeply concerned” that the visa had not been issued, his spokesman said. “The secretary-general urges the host country to ensure that visas are issued in accordance with its obligations under the Headquarters Agreement, in time for the President to participate in person in the work of the General Assembly,” said Stephane Dujarric.
