US Legislators Call for Imposing Sanctions on Sudanese Military Junta

The US Capitol in Washington. (AFP)
The US Capitol in Washington. (AFP)
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US Legislators Call for Imposing Sanctions on Sudanese Military Junta

The US Capitol in Washington. (AFP)
The US Capitol in Washington. (AFP)

Congress legislators have criticized the President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Gen. Abdul-Fattah Al-Burhan, and head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Daglo “Hemetti” over the fierce clashes in Sudan.

US Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and senior Republican in the Committee Jim Risch called for imposing sanctions on military leaders implicated in the recent clashes.

“Unfortunately, the international community and regional actors fell prey, again, to trusting junta Generals Burhan and Hemetti when they said they would hand power to civilians,” according to Risch.

“Playing along with their games has divided the pro-democracy movement and further weakened the hand of civilians. It is clear we need a fundamental shift in US diplomacy,” he said.

“Last year, Congress passed a joint resolution clearly stating that the military junta was the major obstacle to Sudanese democracy and that the Biden Administration needed to act to hold it accountable for human rights abuses, corruption,” Risch added.

“To date, this has not happened. Instead, the international community gave these selfish and brutal leaders more time to run out the clock.”

Risch added that “regardless of who started the current fighting, the Biden Administration must take immediate steps to sanction Generals Burhan and Hemetti, and other senior security officials, and push the international community to do the same.”

For his part, Menendez pressed the Administration “to impose targeted sanctions on all those who subvert the transitional process or are implicated in human rights abuses,” including senior members of the Sudanese junta.

He called on the US to “lead by example”.

“I encourage international partners to join us in affirming our dedication to the cause of freedom and advancing democratic values worldwide.”

Moreover, US Senator Chris Coons released a statement in the wake of the clashes saying, “Ultimately, the only way to achieve peace and stability in Sudan is through meaningful political discussion and the return of a civilian-led transition that respects the rights and aspirations of the Sudanese people.”

“Continued fighting risks dragging the country back into civil war and threatens the stability not only of Sudan but the entire region,” he warned.



France Says Unaware of Algerian Trade Curbs as Tensions Build

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Says Unaware of Algerian Trade Curbs as Tensions Build

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

France said on Thursday that it was not aware of any official measures imposed by Algeria on its imports and exports, but would keep a close eye on the situation as diplomatic sources suggested Algiers may be preparing trade restrictions.
Ties between Paris and Algiers have worsened in recent weeks since France recognized Morocco's sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, which Morocco wants the international community to recognize as Moroccan, Reuters said.
The decision angered Algiers, which backs the Polisario Front that is seeking an independent state.
"We have not been made aware of such measures, but we are closely watching the situation for our companies in Algeria," France's foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine told reporters at a weekly news conference.
The office of Algerian Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui issued a statement denying the contents of a post on X by France's former ambassador Xavier Driencourt which shows a screenshot of a document that appears to outline restrictions on imports and exports. Reuters was not able to authenticate the document and Driencourt did not respond to a request for comment.
"Following the false allegations promoted by the former French ambassador to Algeria ... regarding the alleged restrictive measures on foreign trade, the press office of the Prime Minister would like to categorically deny this information which is completely unfounded," it said in a statement.
According to three diplomats, there has been a concerted effort in recent months by Algeria to toughen the business environment for French firms, including wheat exporters.
The diplomats said there had been some signals in recent days that Algiers may look to specifically target French imports and exports, although there had been no official confirmation at this stage.
Algerian officials did not respond to Reuters' requests for comments.
BANKING SPAT
In 2022, Algeria's banking association ordered the end of payments to and from Spain after an official trade ministry directive, although it exempted key gas exports.
That rift, which has since calmed, was also over Madrid's stance on Western Sahara.
French daily newspaper Le Figaro newspaper reported on Thursday that the banking association in the North African country had met banks on Nov 4. and informed them of a potential measure.
Two diplomats told Reuters they were aware of that meeting, but cautioned that the association could not take such a decision unilaterally.
Several French companies operating in Algeria contacted by Reuters said they had not received any new directives and French officials said at this stage no companies had approached them with any specific difficulties.
Grain traders have reported that Algeria overlooked France in wheat tenders last month due to the diplomatic tensions, though Algerian state grains agency OAIC said it treated all suppliers fairly and applied technical requirements to cover its import needs.
The reported trade obstacles echo a diplomatic dispute three years ago that led to France being sidelined from its former colony's wheat tenders for months. Trade between the two countries grew more than 5% in 2023 with hydrocarbon exports from Algeria to France increasing about 15%, although imports to Algeria from France dropped 0.5%, according to the French finance ministry.