Egypt dismisses allegations of supporting U.N. sanctions in Sudan

CAIRO – 14 April 2017: The Egyptian Foreign Ministry denied allegations of Egypt’s support for maintaining an arms embargo in Darfour, west Sudan, according to a statement released Thursday on the ministry’s

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The statement came in response to Sudanese media reports on the position of an Egyptian diplomat, who allegedly supported the extension of the Darfur arms embargo during a U.N. Security Council meeting. The Sudanese government has called for an official response from the side of the Egyptian government, Sudanese newspapers reported.

“The Sanctions Committee looking into the situation in Darfur has not discussed in its recent meetings the issue of extending sanctions against Sudan,” Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said, adding that the Security Council had already extended sanctions for another year in February.

“Egypt was one of the most active countries in adopting a balanced resolution that preserves the supreme interests of the Sudanese people,” Abu Zeid said.

According to the

Sudan Tribune

, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said Friday, “During the discussion (between Committee members and the Panel) the deputy permanent representative [of Egypt] called to maintain sanctions imposed on Sudan in line with the resolution 1591 (2005).”

Ghandour called for Cairo to explain the position of its diplomat in the “informal consultations meeting held on 7 April for the Security Council Committee.”

"The Egyptian Embassy in Khartoum explained to the Sudanese brothers in certain terms that Egypt, in line with its permanent approach, adopts supportive positions for the benefit of the Sudanese people, whether during the deliberations of the Security Council or its relevant sanctions committees," Abu Zeid said, adding that Sudan should have gotten its information directly from the permanent Egyptian delegation.

U.N. Security Council Resolution 1591

(2005) included an arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze. “All States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the supply of arms and related materiel of all types and also of technical training and assistance in relation to actors operating in Darfur,” the resolution states.