Darfur governor accuses unnamed states of blocking Sudan army chief from UN

October 3, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Darfur regional governor Minni Minawi on Saturday accused unnamed foreign governments and political organizations of manoeuvering to prevent Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan from addressing the United Nations General Assembly.

The United States withheld an entry visa for Burhan ahead of the annual diplomatic gathering in New York late last month.

“Certain states, political organizations, and so-called civil groups conspired to deny Sudan its voice on the global stage,” Minawi told reporters at Khartoum airport upon returning from New York.

Minawi told a gathering outside the airport that Sudan was not in conflict with Washington, claiming instead that third parties were misinforming US policymakers about conditions on the ground.

Regarding efforts to resolve the war, Minawi said Sudanese representatives in New York pushed for a rapid ceasefire and humanitarian pauses rather than rejecting peace overtures.

He pointed to the collapse of El Fasher in North Darfur, arguing that previous calls for a ceasefire were ignored before the town saw widespread atrocities and ethnic cleansing by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Minawi also criticized external military backing for the RSF, calling on international authorities to track revenues from oil and gas used to arm the paramilitary group.

He argued that Sudan has an inherent right under international law to acquire weapons to defend its population from demographic engineering and mass killings.

Sudanese displaced persons who have languished in camps for more than two decades can only return safely if they possess the means to defend their land, Minawi said.