US Withholds Abdel Fattah al-Burhan Visa for UN General Assembly
The US visa denial for Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has prevented Sudan’s army chief and de facto leader from travelling to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where he was scheduled to address world leaders. Sudanese and Western sources said the visa appeared to be linked to his acceptance of a proposed 90-day ceasefire.
Al-Burhan has represented Sudan at the General Assembly before, including twice since the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces began in 2023.
The US visa denial for Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has prompted Sudan to seek intervention from the United Nations. Sudan’s UN ambassador, Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith, wrote to Secretary-General António Guterres asking the organisation to engage with Washington over the visa.
The UN Secretariat confirmed that Guterres was deeply concerned that the visa had reportedly not been issued. UN officials said they had raised the matter with US authorities and were continuing discussions.
The reported condition relates to a 90-day Sudan ceasefire, proposed by US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos. Sudan’s army had previously expressed reservations about the proposal, according to Reuters.
The dispute comes amid deteriorating US-Sudan relations as Washington and other countries continue efforts to end the conflict. Fighting between the army and the RSF has continued since April 2023, creating a major humanitarian crisis.
Sudan’s UN ambassador argued that preventing al-Burhan from travelling would stop the leader of a UN member state from taking part in the General Assembly in person. A diplomatic source described the situation as potentially inconsistent with the agreement governing the US role as host of the UN headquarters.
The US visa denial for Abdel Fattah al-Burhan leaves uncertainty over who will deliver Sudan’s address if the army chief cannot attend. Sudan’s foreign minister may represent the country instead, according to the information provided.
The UN is continuing discussions with Washington, while Sudan is seeking a resolution to the dispute. The outcome could affect both the General Assembly appearance and the wider US-Sudan relations surrounding efforts to negotiate an end to the war.
