00:00Sources are saying that the United States has refused to give Sudan's de facto leader
00:05a visa to travel to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
00:10General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, whose army's fought the paramilitary rapid support forces
00:15since 2023, was scheduled to address the gathering on Wednesday.
00:19Sudanese and Western sources say Washington has linked the issuing of a visa to his acceptance
00:25of a 90-day ceasefire.
00:27Sudan's UN ambassadors urge the world body to intervene, arguing that it prevents the
00:32member state leader from participating in person.
00:35A spokesperson for UN Chief António Guterres says he's deeply concerned that the visa's
00:40not been issued and is engaging with Washington on the issue.
00:44One diplomatic source says withholding it is a violation of the UN's agreement with the
00:48U.S.
00:49The visa standoff comes as U.S.-Sudan relations deteriorate amid efforts to end the war and
00:54threatens to deepen tensions between them.
00:57It's being reported that Sudan's foreign minister may address the UN instead.