UN extends partial Sudan arms embargo for a month

What the report says

The UN Security Council has unanimously extended the existing arms embargo on Sudan’s Darfur region for one month, giving diplomats more time to negotiate a possible broader sanctions regime. The vote, reported by Al Jazeera on Friday, keeps the current partial restrictions in place while the council continues discussing a US-backed proposal for a nationwide ban.

According to the report, Washington is pushing to widen the embargo across all of Sudan to increase pressure on the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to negotiate an end to the war that began in April 2023. The US ambassador said the current sanctions framework is outdated and asked for stronger measures, including broader listings and a tougher panel of experts. Russia, which has veto power and supports the Sudanese government, signaled it would block any expansion.

Sudan’s UN ambassador argued that a total arms embargo would conflict with the UN Charter’s recognition of a state’s right to self-defence. The existing embargo dates back to the Darfur conflict that began in 2003, when rebel attacks prompted a violent government response. Al Jazeera noted that the current war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions, and worsened a humanitarian crisis marked by famine in parts of the country.