Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Office of the Official Spokesperson and Media Directorate
Press Release
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan noted with astonishment and deep dismay a tweet by the U.S. Ambassador in Khartoum in which he spoke of "The belligerents who have demonstrated they are not fit to govern", referring to the Sudanese Armed Forces, SAF, and the rebellious RSF. This inappropriate comment not only represents a breach of the diplomatic norms, established rules of bilateral exchanges between states, and mutual respect for each other's sovereignty, but also contradicts the essentials of diplomatic politeness and professionalism. It equally displays the U.S. Ambassador's lack of respect for the Sudanese people and their sovereignty by appointing himself as a guardian who determines who is fit and who isn’t to govern.
The U.S. Ambassador's utterance disregards the fact that the Sudan Armed Forces SAF, the National Army of Sudan, is defending the country and its people against a terrorist and criminal militia that practices the worst atrocities known to humanity during this century. Just yesterday, the U.S. Department of State strongly condemned these atrocities, especially sexual violence and violence against women, crimes which the RSF militia are systematically practicing. By his regrettable comment, the U.S. Ambassador contradicts the statement of his own country's Foreign Ministry. Equating the Sudanese Armed Forces with the criminal RSF militia demonstrates a lack of fairness and moral consistency. It further insults the Sudanese people who stand firmly beside their armed forces, as they are defending their security, safety, honor, and right to a decent life. This position, moreover, encourages the criminal militia to continue its atrocities as a party to a political conflict, which is not the fact.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs points out that the misguided external interference in the internal affairs of our country and the attempts to impose imported political formulae that do not enjoy a national consensus are among the reasons for the eruption and continuation of the war.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects the U.S. Ambassador and the US Government to correct this unbalanced and faulty position , and the Ambassador to refrain from making statements that breach the diplomatic rules and norms, and that do not help to end the crisis that our country is going through, especially at a time when the two countries are working to strengthen their bilateral relations and cooperation in all fields.
Issued in Khartoum, August 26, 2023
