Washington, DC – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sara Jacobs, Ranking Member of the Africa Subcommittee, introduced comprehensive legislation today to address the ongoing crisis in Sudan. Fighting, displacement, and starvation have resulted in the deaths of more than 150,000 people, and subjected civilians to horrific atrocities.
“The conflict in Sudan has created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with millions displaced, countless children traumatized, and survivors enduring unspeakable atrocities, including gender-based violence. The U.S. Engagement in Sudanese Peace Act responds to the urgent need for action by holding perpetrators accountable, appointing a U.S. Special Presidential Envoy to lead diplomatic efforts to address the crisis, and providing critical support to protect civilians and deliver humanitarian aid. By addressing the vast scale of suffering and cutting off external support that fuels the violence, we can help bring relief to innocent civilians caught in the middle of this war and push the parties to reach an end to this brutal conflict.”
The U.S. Engagement in Sudanese Peace Act:
-
Requires sanctions against those who perpetrate or enable genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity, block humanitarian aid, or violate the United Nations arms embargo in Sudan;
-
Requires a new U.S. strategy to support the protection of civilians, delivery of humanitarian assistance, inclusion of civil society, and progress towards a sustainable peace in Sudan;
-
Establishes the position of U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Sudan to coordinate U.S. policy and diplomatic efforts;
-
Authorizes U.S. assistance for a United Nations, African Union, or other multinational force to help protect civilians, and calls for additional civilian protection options;
-
Supports the meaningful participation of Sudanese women and youth in conflict resolution and planning for humanitarian relief;
-
Prohibits the sale of major U.S. defense equipment to countries fueling the conflict and continued violence by supporting the RSF or SAF;
-
Requires a report and assessment on the extent to which any country that receives U.S. security assistance is interfering with the delivery of humanitarian aid in Sudan and;
-
Requires a comprehensive interagency report on any U.S.-made weapons used in Sudan.
Full text of the legislation can be found here.
Background:
The conflict in Sudan has raged unabated since April 15, 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to the United Nations, over 14 million Sudanese are displaced from their homes, either as internally displaced persons or as refugees seeking safety in other countries. More than half of Sudan’s population—25.6 million people—face acute food insecurity. Researchers and U.S. government officials believe the number of Sudanese who have died due to the brutal conflict could be at least 150,000, with an estimated 61,000 deaths in Khartoum state alone. Civilians are in grave danger every day, including from rampant sexual and gender-based violence. Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives condemned the atrocities committed by the RSF in Sudan as amounting to genocide, and the roles of the RSF and SAF in perpetrating atrocities, humanitarian catastrophe, and the destruction of Sudan, echoing the assessment of several experts and non-governmental organizations.
Investigative reporting has shed light on external actors helping to fuel and prolong the conflict, and U.S. government agencies have also cited this reporting as critical evidence of the destructive role of external enablers in the Sudanese civil war.
This legislation aligns with calls from advocacy campaigns that have urged stronger international action to support civilian protection, accountability, and a pathway toward peace.
This bill is co-sponsored by: Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI), Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Rep. William R. Keating (D-MA), Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL).
###