USA renews call for ‘effective measures to end war in Sudan’

Amidst ongoing discussions surrounding the efficacy of sanctions imposed on companies and officials within Sudan, aimed at curbing the perpetuation of the war, a US Dept of State spokesperson told Radio Dabanga yesterday, that the US reaffirmed its commitment to employing various measures to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

Following the online press briefing conducted by the US Department of State in Johannesburg, South Africa, on February 21, the State Department spokesperson responded yesterday to inquiries from Radio Dabanga regarding the effectiveness of targeted sanctions in ending the war.

“The United States will continue to use the tools at our disposal to end this devastating war, promote accountability, and help the Sudanese people realise their demands for freedom, peace, and justice, and to restore Sudan’s democratic transition,” the State Department spokesperson asserted in their reply yesterday.

The spokesperson emphasised the significance of strategic interventions aimed at disrupting the activities of entities such as the RSF and the SAF, both of which have been implicated in prolonging the conflict. “Disrupting the ability of the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces to further prolong this war remains a priority,” the spokesperson said.

Underscoring their commitment in targeting individuals and entities that impede efforts to achieve a resolution, the spokesperson states “we renew our calls on all actors to avoid fuelling the conflict and undermining the Sudanese people’s aspiration for peace and civilian, democratic rule”.

Radio Dabanga reported last month, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on three companies implicated in “jeopardising Sudan’s peace, security, and stability”. 

The targeted measures were an effort to identify and isolate funding sources supporting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Last year, the US State Department also imposed visa restrictions, on Islamists and former regime officials, because they ‘undermined the transition to democracy in Sudan’.