Sudan to Cooperate with OPCW on Chemical Weapons Allegations, Cites Lack of US Response

Sudan's government has announced its willingness to cooperate with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) regarding allegations that the Sudanese military used chemical weapons. The Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday evening that a national committee established by Sudan was never intended to replace international mechanisms under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

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the national committee it previously established was never intended to replace the international mechanisms provided for under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Khartoum disclosed for the first time that it had engaged in a bilateral mechanism with the United States for over a year to discuss the allegations. The government repeatedly invited Washington to send US experts for an on-site investigation, but claims it received no response. The ministry emphasized that the government never asserted its national committee could substitute for the OPCW or the convention's verification procedures, reaffirming Khartoum's commitment to full cooperation.

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it repeatedly invited Washington to send US experts to conduct an on-site investigation but received no response.

The statement responded to US State Department remarks that national investigation findings cannot replace OPCW investigations. Sudan has previously rejected the UN Human Rights Council's fact-finding mission, accusing it of bias against the military. The Foreign Ministry distinguished the mission's mandate, which investigates human rights violations, from the OPCW's role in technically verifying alleged chemical weapons use.

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the findings of any national investigation could not replace investigations conducted by the OPCW.

The ministry also voiced surprise at Washington's apparent disregard for the year-long bilateral consultations, stating the US failed to provide material or technical evidence to support its allegations during that period. The United States imposed sanctions on Sudan's military-led government after determining the Sudanese Armed Forces used chemical weapons in 2024, with subsequent sanctions packages taking effect in July.

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Washington’s disregard for more than a year of bilateral consultations, saying the United States had failed to provide any material or technical evidence to support its allegations during that period.