Sudan: Washington withholds visa for al-Burhan amid ceasefire disagreement

In a letter to the UN Secretary-General, the Sudanese ambassador to the organization claimed that the issuance of the visa appeared to be linked to al-Burhan’s acceptance of a ceasefire proposal put forth by the U.S. administration. Washington has not publicly confirmed this interpretation.

The Sudanese army has repeatedly expressed reservations about ceasefire initiatives, which it believes could benefit the Rapid Support Forces, its main adversary since the war began in April 2023. Nevertheless, international mediators are attempting to revive a negotiation process.

The UN secretariat has indicated that it raised the issue with U.S. authorities. As the host country of the UN headquarters, the United States is bound by an agreement with the organization to facilitate access for representatives of member states, subject to applicable rules.

A new point of diplomatic tension

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan effectively leads the Sudanese institutions controlled by the army. He has previously represented Sudan at past sessions of the United Nations General Assembly.

The dispute over his visa comes as diplomatic efforts to secure a pause in the fighting remain fragile. The war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces has caused massive displacement and a major humanitarian crisis in the country.