Sudan Urges UN to Uphold 1947 Headquarters Agreement After Visa Rejection

Sudan's Foreign Minister addressed the UN General Assembly on Monday in place of de facto head of state General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, whose visa application was rejected by Washington. Speaking at the Assembly's annual high-level debate, Minister Mohieldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim described the circumstances as "deeply regrettable," saying they violated the principle of sovereign equality among States that lies at the heart of the United Nations. He called on the UN to formally document and examine the incident and take measures to uphold the 1947 Headquarters Agreement governing the host country's obligations towards representatives attending UN business. No to external intervention Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn Mr. Salim Ahmed Ibrahim repeatedly condemned foreign intervention in Sudan, which he said only deepened the conflict the country has been wrapped up in for decades. "We reaffirm Sudan's openness to any sincere and constructive effort aimed at ending the war imposed on its people. [...] At the same time, we reiterate our categorical rejection of any attempt to impose solutions, dictates or external agendas upon our people," he said. "Peace is a process requiring patience, determination and commitment to addressing the root causes of conflict," he explained, insisting that peace agreements that do not eliminate underlying causes of conflict cannot lead to durable peace. He was very critical of international sanctions imposed on Sudan for the past twenty years, which he said damaged its economy and sovereignty, and "[exacerbated] cycles of violence [...] and hindered national reconciliation." He also called for halting the flow of weapons, ammunition and mercenaries into Sudan. Dismantling the 'terrorist militia' The Sudanese Foreign Minister said repeatedly that "the terrorist militia" was responsible for the civil war raging in the country since April 2023. He accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - former allies turned rivals of the de facto government - of attacks against civilians, medical centres and hospitals. He strongly condemned the international community for not recognising the RSF as a terrorist organisation, and for failing to cut the cross-border channels that supply it with weapons, ammunitions and mercenaries. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "Silence regarding the atrocities committed by the terrorist militia in Sudan is not only shameful, unethical and complicit, it is a betrayal of the civilian victims," he said. Collaborating with the UN Mr. Salim Ahmed Ibrahim was also critical of the current state of UN institutions, which he said have let states use or threaten to use force in international relations, interfere in the internal affairs of States and disregard international law. As such, he pushed for institutional reforms, most notably of the Security Council , which he argued should have two permanent seats for African states. At the same time, he stressed that Sudan continues its "positive cooperation" with the UN, especially with the offices on sexual violence in conflict , children in conflict , humanitarian aid ( OCHA ), and human rights mechanisms. Read the original article on UN News . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publis