Sudan denies refusal of entry visa to U.S. Envoy

Port Sudan, May 16, 2024 – The Sudanese government refuted claims on Thursday that it had denied a visa to U.S. Special Envoy Tom Perriello.

During a meeting with Sudanese civil society groups in Kampala, Uganda, Perriello allegedly claimed that his efforts to obtain a Sudanese entry visa over the past two months had been unsuccessful.

However, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement asserting that Perriello’s claims were “untrue.” The ministry clarified that neither the Sudanese embassy in Washington nor any other embassy had received a visa request from the envoy. Furthermore, it noted that the embassy in Washington had contacted the U.S. State Department, which confirmed that Perriello had not made such allegations.

On May 11, Perriello embarked on a regional tour, visiting Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia to engage with “key regional partners.” The tour aims to bolster efforts to end the conflict in Sudan, prevent further atrocities, address the urgent humanitarian needs of the Sudanese people, and establish a pathway towards a civilian-led democratic government.

The ongoing war has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis, with widespread internal and external displacement of Sudanese citizens, along with extensive damage to infrastructure, particularly in Darfur, Kordofan, Al-Jazirah, and Khartoum.

Despite international and regional pressure for the warring factions to engage in negotiations, both sides remain resolute in their pursuit of a decisive military victory.