Sudan: US to sanction former officials affiliated with Bashir

Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok meets with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on at the Munich Security Conference (RD)

The US administration on Thursday announced it would impose visa restrictions on individuals believed to be undermining Sudan’s civilian-led government.

The US administration on Thursday announced it would impose visa restrictions on individuals believed to be undermining Sudan’s civilian-led government.

 In a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said the order would, among others, affect former officials affiliated with the former regime of Omar al-Bashir.

“The Trump administration will implement visa restrictions under the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 212(a)(3)(C) on individuals residing inside and outside Sudan who are believed to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have engaged in undermining the transitional government’s efforts to implement the July 17, 2019, Political Agreement and August 17, 2019, Constitutional Declaration,” the statement reads in part.

According to Pompeo, individuals who engage in corruption or abuse the human rights of citizens will also be denied US visas.

“This would include obstructing the work of civilian ministers, stalling implementation of provisions of the Constitutional Declaration, delaying preparations for drafting a new constitution and preparing for elections in 2022, and engaging in corruption or the abuse or violation of human rights in Sudan, which would weaken the authority of the civilian-led transitional government,” it stressed.

Despite keeping the names of the officials confidential, the US Department of State said that the sanctions will not only affect the officials, but also members of their families.

Pompeo said imposing visa restrictions on individuals who undermine the transitional government “reflects the Department of State’s commitment to work with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok,  civil society actors,  and others in their efforts to deliver the ultimate goal of the Sudanese people: “Freedom, peace, and justice.”