Sudan: US Proposes Expanding UN Arms Embargo

On Monday, the United States proposed broadening an existing UN arms embargo for Darfur to encompass all of Sudan, according to US Envoy Massad Boulos. The US envoy argued that the brutality of the conflict waged by the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces has discredited their claims to legitimacy. Boulos warned that external financial and military support fuels the conflict and risks drawing neighboring states into war.

The US wants to expand the embargo geographically, as well as materially, to cover unmanned aerial vehicles and related technologies. The US plan would also increase the number of experts monitoring the embargo. The current Darfur embargo has been in place for two decades and will expire on September 12, 2026, unless amended or renewed. An expansion would require a Security Council vote.

Sudan requested a technical extension of the existing embargo but cautioned against measures that could impair the army's effectiveness. Sudan's UN envoy urged members to approve a technical extension while warning against changes that might hinder the army. Sudan has suffered the most from weapons and the illegal flow of arms. However, expanding such a sanctions regime could weaken the protection of civilians, according to Al-Harith Idriss al-Harith Mohamed, Sudan's UN envoy.

Russia, which holds veto power in the Security Council, expressed skepticism about changes to the existing deal, stating that expanding the embargo could affect the Sudanese army's effectiveness. UN Sudan experts noted the presence of sophisticated weaponry, suggesting external support for both parties involved in the conflict. Rosemary Di Carlo, UN Under Secretary General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, emphasized that the increasing complexity of the conflict in Sudan is a worrying aspect. She pointed out that sophisticated weaponry points to ongoing external support to both sides.

Tom Fletcher, the UN's humanitarian chief, also highlighted that the war in Sudan, now in its fourth year, has resulted in the killing of tens of thousands and the displacement of millions of civilians. Fighting has been characterized by heavy use of drones and localized ground combat in areas less affected by the rainy season. The UN has noted that Sudan's army holds sway in the central and eastern regions, while the Rapid Support Forces control the western and southern Darfur areas.

Darfur, a vast region the size of France, has witnessed some of the worst violence of the conflict, including repeated attacks on displacement camps and ethnic massacres that have claimed thousands of lives.