Calling US, EU, Canada and UK to increase actions to stop fighting in Sudan
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Bumble Dee
The humanitarian situation in Sudan is worsening by the day, and Sudan’s route to democratic rule is looking bleak. Free Press Unlimited together with 14 other organisations released a statement with a call and recommendations to stop the fighting in Sudan, directed at the representatives of the US, EU, Canada and UK governments.
The statement letter expresses concern at the deteriorating situation in Sudan and urges the US, EU, Canada, and UK governments to build on the actions already taken by the US on June 1. More measures need to be taken to create leverage in order to stop the fighting and hold those responsible for the conflict accountable.
The undersigning organisations name three recommendations:
- Impose targeted network sanctions on the officials behind the war.
The US imposed sanctions on Al Junaid Multi Activities Co Ltd and Tradive General Trading LLC, which are affiliated with the RSF, and Defense Industries System and Sudan Master Technology, which are linked to the SAF. The EU Canada and UK governments should impose similar sanctions as soon as possible to prevent their jurisdictions being used to circumvent US sanctions.
On top of that, the US, EU, Canada and UK should impose escalating targeted sanctions on the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces and Sudan Armed Forces and their corresponding networks and work with likeminded governments to do the same.
- Expand on the recent US business advisory.
Given the increased possibility of illicit financial flows in Sudan during a period of limited oversight of military and government expenditure because of the war, we welcome the updated Sudan business advisory issued by the US on May 31, 2023. The EU, Canada, and UK governments should issue similar advisories for both businesses and individuals active in Sudan.
In addition, we encourage the US’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), and European financial intelligence units to issue advisories to financial institutions on the risks to their respective financial sectors stemming from the conflict in Sudan.
- Use financial pressures to induce a return to a civilian government.
Sanctions designations must be accompanied by a robust diplomatic and outreach strategy across the US, EU, Canada and UK that outlines the ultimate policy objective of the action, which is to disincentivize state capture by kleptocratic elites and support a peaceful democratic transition to a civilian government.
In the short and medium term, the strategy should be accompanied by a campaign to counter disinformation about targeted sanctions.
