Rhino: Agencies – “The National” reported that the United States has escalated its pressure on the Sudanese government, demanding immediate and unconditional access for inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to enter the country, after Washington confirmed the imposition of a second round of sanctions on Sudanese authorities for what it says is their noncompliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.
According to the report, the United States announced at the 112th session of the OPCW Executive Council in The Hague that it had concluded, based on what it described as “independent and rigorous technical analysis,” that the Sudanese Armed Forces had used chemical weapons in 2024 and that the government of Port Sudan remains noncompliant with the provisions of the international convention. It also demanded that Khartoum submit a comprehensive declaration of any chemical weapons, facilities, or programs related to chemical weapons, and allow for immediate, transparent, and unrestricted international inspections.
The report noted that Washington rejected the Sudanese authorities’ decision to form a national commission to investigate these allegations, emphasizing that domestic investigations cannot replace the independent international verification mechanisms of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). It also clarified that it had not sent U.S. investigators to Sudan but rather shared the results of its assessment with the government of Port Sudan and called on it to comply with its international obligations.
The report added that the United States confirmed that a second round of sanctions had taken effect after concluding that Sudan had not met the legal requirements necessary to restore compliance with the agreement. The new measures include tighter export restrictions, opposition to loans or financial assistance to Sudan from international financial institutions, as well as financial and aviation-related restrictions.
Washington also called for a review of Sudan’s continued membership on the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), arguing that any state proven to have used chemical weapons and that has not returned to full compliance should not participate in shaping the organization’s decisions, warning that the organization’s credibility could be damaged if violators are not held accountable.
In contrast, the report noted that Sudanese authorities in Port Sudan have categorically denied the U.S. accusations of using chemical weapons during the war and rejected the findings of the U.S. assessment, reaffirming in previous statements their commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The report concluded by noting that this step represents the strongest U.S. diplomatic move to date within the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons regarding Sudan and comes amid increasing Western pressure on the parties to the conflict, as the war continues and the humanitarian crisis worsens.
