US chemical weapons sanctions rejected by Sudanese government
Canisters of mustard gas, which are part of the United States' chemical weapons stockpile, wait for destruction at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Pueblo, Colo. The Department of Defense and its systems contractor, the Bechtel Pueblo Team, have more than 1,500 employees working on the project to disarm the more than 780,078 munitions containing mustard gas that have been on the site for more than eight decades. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
US sanctions on Sudan for alleged chemical weapons use in combat have been rejected by the Sudanese government, Middle East Monitor and agencies report on July 21st.
On 19th July, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement asserting that it “categorically rejects the unilateral and illegal sanctions imposed by the United States against Sudan, based on false allegations of the Sudanese Armed Forces’ use of chemical weapons.”
This statement is a response to the recent US announcement that it would implement further sanctions against Sudan which would be effective from 20th July 2026. The measure consists of a wide range of sanctions with restrictions on the loans financial and technical assistance international financial institutions can provide to Sudan. Alongside the sanctions is a measure for increased control over US goods and technologies exported to Sudan such as subject products that can be applied to potential security or military situations.
The United States government has justified their decision to sanction Sudan by asserting that conditions outlined by the Chemical Weapons Convention have not been met by the Sudanese government.
In its statement on July 19th, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for evidence of these breaches to be presented by the US. The ministry also redeclared the country’s ongoing commitment to cooperating with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and other international agreements concerning chemical weapons.
Officials in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan have consistently denied the allegations of chemical weapons usage by the Sudanese Armed Forces and according to the ministry’s statement regard them to be based on anonymous sources and completely unfounded.
According to the US government the sanctions are likely to be effective from a minimum of one year and will only be prematurely waived if the legal requirements for the removal of chemical weapons are completed by the Sudanese government.
Middle East Monitor plus agencies, Maghrebi.org
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