US urges new UN sanctions to spur rivals in Sudan to negotiate an end to war

The United States is advocating for reinforced United Nations sanctions against the combatants in Sudan with the aim of compelling them to engage in negotiations for an end to the ongoing conflict, which has resulted in the deaths of over 59,000 individuals, the displacement of approximately 13 million, and forced multiple regions of the nation into famine.

Massad Boulos, a senior adviser for Arab and African affairs under former President Donald Trump, addressed the United Nations Security Council on Monday, asserting that the financial, military, and political aid extended to either the government forces or the rival paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces, serves as a catalyst for the protracted conflict that has now entered its fourth year.

While Boulos did not disclose the specific nations contributing to this support, Egypt has been a vocal advocate for Sudan's military, and the United Arab Emirates has been accused by United Nations experts and human rights organizations of supplying arms to the RSF, a claim the United Arab Emirates has consistently denied. Boulos further stated that the Security Council possesses the necessary tools to restrict the provision of substantial and escalating amounts of military assistance to both factions from various external entities.

Two years ago, United Nations-backed human rights investigators had called for the extension of an arms embargo on Sudan's western Darfur region, which witnessed significant atrocities between 2003 and 2005, to encompass the entire country. According to Boulos, a proposed U.S. resolution before the U.N. Security Council would broaden the arms embargo across the entirety of Sudan.

It would also encompass all entities operating within the country's territory and reaffirm that drones and associated technologies are subject to the arms embargo. Experts highlight that both Sudan's military and the Rapid Support Forces are vying to acquire advanced drone models. Human rights groups have reported that the utilization of unmanned aircraft has been increasingly prevalent in Sudan's ongoing war.