Sudan: Seven Democratic U.S. Senators Call On UN Security Council to Pass Sanctions on Sudan to Cut Off Conflict Cash Flows

What the report says

Seven Democratic U.S. senators, led by Chris Murphy of Connecticut, have urged the U.S. mission to the United Nations to push the Security Council toward additional sanctions measures on Sudan. According to the AllAfrica-published Senate document, the lawmakers want steps aimed at cutting off financial channels that help sustain the war between Sudan’s warring sides and deepen what they described as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

The letter, sent to U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, calls for renewed sanctions language to go beyond existing restrictions. It specifically recommends banning the export or transfer of precursor chemicals used in artisanal gold mining, addressing the illicit trade in Sudanese gum arabic, and strengthening reporting by the UN panel of experts so it more clearly identifies arms embargo violations and the parties behind them.

The senators argue that natural-resource trafficking is central to the conflict economy, with gold and gum arabic helping generate money and foreign currency for both sides. In the document, Murphy and his colleagues say that targeting sales alone is not enough and that supply chains and cross-border smuggling networks also need to be disrupted. They also point to the role of outside actors in supplying weapons or financial support, saying greater transparency is needed.

Along with Murphy, the letter was signed by Cory Booker, Chris Coons, Tim Kaine, Andy Kim, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders and Chris Van Hollen. The article says the war in Sudan has entered its fourth year and has displaced more than 14 million people, with over half the population facing severe hunger, according to the Senate document.