Rhino: Agencies – The UN Security Council will vote Thursday on extending the sanctions regime imposed on Sudan, as consultations continue among Council members regarding a U.S. proposal to expand the scope of the arms embargo to cover all of Sudan rather than limiting it to the Darfur region.
The Middle East News Agency reported, citing the Security Council’s weekly program of work for September 7–11, that the Council will hold a vote on Thursday on a draft resolution regarding the extension of the sanctions regime against Sudan, established under Resolution 1591 issued in 2005.
According to the official United Nations record, the current sanctions regime—which was renewed by Resolution 2791 on September 12, 2025—remains in effect until September 12, 2026, making the upcoming vote directly linked to the expiration date of the current measures.
The current regime includes an arms embargo specific to the Darfur region, as well as measures targeting individuals on the sanctions list, including travel bans and asset freezes. The Security Council Sanctions Committee emphasizes that the existing arms embargo applies to entities operating in Darfur, not to the entire territory of Sudan.
Thursday’s session takes on added significance due to the ongoing debate over expanding the arms embargo to cover all of Sudan, amid the continuing war that broke out in April 2023 and the flow of arms to the parties to the conflict.
This comes as efforts to amend the scope of the embargo face reservations from some Council members, which has made negotiations on the draft resolution more complicated. Consequently, the upcoming vote is not only about the extension but may also serve as an indicator of the Council’s ability to reach a consensus on the future of the sanctions regime and mechanisms to curb the flow of arms to Sudan.
The basic framework of the sanctions regime dates back to Resolution 1591, adopted by the Security Council on March 29, 2005, which established a committee to monitor the implementation of the arms embargo, asset freeze, and travel ban related to the conflict in Darfur.
United Nations documents indicate that the mandate of the Panel of Experts on Sudan—which assists the Sanctions Committee in monitoring the implementation of the measures and investigating violations—was extended under Resolution 2791 until October 12, 2026, which is after the scheduled expiration date of the sanctions regime itself.
Sudan and the international community are awaiting the outcome of the vote amid an ongoing war that has caused a widespread humanitarian crisis, while the diplomatic dispute centers on whether maintaining the sanctions within Darfur is sufficient, or whether developments in the war warrant expanding them to cover the entire country.
