Sudan Rejects US Sanctions and Denies Allegations of Chemical Weapons Use

Republic of Sudan

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Office of the Spokesperson and Media Department

Press Release

In violation of relevant international mechanisms and disregard for the requirements of international law, the United States announced the imposition of unilateral and illegal sanctions against Sudan based on false allegations of the Sudanese Armed Forces’ use of chemical weapons.

The Sudanese government has refuted these baseless allegations since they were first raised in the media and attributed to anonymous sources. The government has consistently affirmed its full commitment to the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention and its complete adherence to the obligations arising from the Convention, including submitting the relevant periodic notifications and refraining from producing, possessing, or using chemical weapons, especially given its membership on the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

The Government of Sudan has committed to cooperating and engaging positively with the Government of the United States to investigate any doubts or allegations in this regard, following the necessary technical and procedural steps to verify the accusations. However, the United States has not only failed to provide any credible evidence, but has also disregarded all the technical mechanisms and procedures stipulated in the Chemical Weapons Convention in order to impose sanctions on Sudan. All of this demonstrates that the motives behind these sanctions are purely political and do not reflect genuine concerns about preventing the use of chemical weapons. This brings to mind previous instances where the United States used allegations of the use of prohibited weapons for its own political purposes.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation expresses Sudan’s categorical rejection of these unilateral and illegal sanctions. It calls upon the Government of the United States to adhere to the established procedures and laws in such cases and demands that it fulfill its bilateral commitment to the Government of Sudan by providing the evidence it claims to possess in this matter.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation also reiterates the Government of Sudan’s commitment to relevant international agreements and its continued cooperation with competent international organizations, foremost among them the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).