US seeks Sudan-wide UN arms embargo amid Russian and Chinese opposition

The United States is proposing to expand the existing United Nations arms embargo from the Darfur region to cover the entirety of Sudan. Presented by Massad Boulos, senior adviser for Arab and African affairs to President Donald Trump, the proposal aims to restrict foreign weapons, drone systems, and related unmanned aerial vehicle technologies that are fueling the ongoing civil war.

The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has resulted in at least 59,000 deaths and displaced approximately 13 million people. The UN has documented significant civilian casualties from drone strikes, including 1,100 deaths between January and June of this year.

The expansion faces opposition from permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia and China. China has expressed concerns that widening sanctions could disrupt economic activity and undermine long-term stability, while Russia has also resisted the widening of the embargo regime.