The US administration announced imposing sanctions on a number of officials affiliated with the former regime of Omar al-Bashir in Sudan and current officials accused of undermining democracy in the country.
Targeted officials are also accused of inhibiting the works of the civilian-led transitional government and complicity in crippling the drafting of a new Sudanese constitution.
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.
According to a press statement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that Washington will continue to stand by the people of Sudan, and the aspirations of the revolutionaries who overthrew Bashir in April 2019.
Pompeo pledged to support the transitional government, led by Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok, and to stand against former officials affiliated with Bashir and their attempts to undermine the democratic process in Sudan.
“Individuals residing both inside and outside Sudan who are believed to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have engaged, directly or indirectly, in undermining Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government’s efforts to implement the July 17, 2019, Political Agreement and August 17, 2019, Constitutional Declaration will be subject to visa restrictions,” said Pompeo.
According to the statement, the US believes that “Sudan’s Constitutional Declaration provides the best roadmap to begin the transition to a just, equitable, and democratic society. Unfortunately, former Bashir-era officials and others continue to undermine Sudan’s nascent democracy”.
Restrictions will be implemented under the Immigration and Nationality Act and can include immediate family members of the individuals.
Activities relating to complicity in undermining Sudan’s transition to civilian governance 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.”
