June 5, 2025
Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. McCaul, Ms. Jacobs, Mrs. Radewagen, Mr. Olszewski, Mr. James, and Mr. McCormick) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on the urgent need to appoint a Special Envoy for Sudan to address the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis and to advance United States national security interests.
Whereas, since April 2023, Sudan has been gripped by a catastrophic conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), headed by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti
), resulting in the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis;
Whereas the conflict has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, mass atrocities, including acts of genocide and the deliberate targeting of ethnic communities, and the destruction of essential civilian infrastructure;
Whereas almost 13,000,000 people have been displaced from their homes by the war, and more than 30 million people—over half of Sudan’s population—are in need of humanitarian assistance;
Whereas access for humanitarian organizations remains severely restricted, including by bureaucratic impediments erected by the warring parties, compounding the suffering and preventing delivery of life-saving aid to vulnerable populations;
Whereas the conflict’s spillover effects threaten to destabilize neighboring countries, including South Sudan, Chad, the Central African Republic, and Ethiopia, all of which face internal challenges of their own;
Whereas external actors have provided arms, material, and financial support to the RSF and SAF, exacerbating and prolonging the conflict further;
Whereas the power vacuum and deteriorating security environment have created opportunities for extremist groups and criminal networks to expand their operations, posing a risk to international and United States national security;
Whereas the United States has a long-standing interest in Sudan’s stability and has historically played a critical role in peace negotiations and efforts to promote democratic governance in the region;
Whereas a dedicated and empowered Special Envoy for Sudan enhances the ability of the United States to engage in sustained, high-level diplomacy to mediate an end to the conflict, support humanitarian access, and help coordinate international efforts; and
Whereas appointing a United Stated Special Envoy for Sudan would signal American leadership, facilitate diplomatic engagement with regional and multilateral stakeholders and support a pathway toward sustainable peace: Now, therefore, be it
That the House of Representatives—
(1)
urges the President to immediately appoint a Special Envoy for Sudan to lead, in coordination with the Special Envoy to the Middle East, United States diplomatic efforts and utilize all other existing and authorized diplomatic and statutory tools aimed at ending the conflict, securing humanitarian access, and advancing accountability and stability in Sudan, as required by law (22 U.S.C. 10001 note);
(2)
calls upon the Department of State to elevate Sudan as a strategic priority for strategic engagement in peacebuilding and stabilization efforts, and to provide appropriate resources for those efforts;
(3)
affirms the need for robust humanitarian assistance to the areas of greatest need in Sudan;
(4)
encourages the administration to continue to work closely with African leaders, African-led mediation efforts, and to support regional peace processes and international accountability mechanisms for war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide, including those committed by the leadership and members of the SAF and RSF and allied militias; and
(5)
affirms that the resolution of the conflict in Sudan is essential to promoting peace, protecting human rights, and advancing United States national security interests in Sudan and in the region.