World · Africa · 1 hr ago
African groups urge Sudan to admit chemical weapons inspectors
African civil society groups are urging Sudan to let international inspectors investigate allegations that its army used chemical weapons.
They made the call at a forum in Dakar, Senegal, and asked the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to press Sudan to admit teams from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
The groups also want Sudan to disclose any chemical weapons sites and munitions so inspectors can verify and destroy them.
Sudan denies using or possessing chemical weapons, and a Sudanese committee said it found no evidence of their use.
The United States concluded that Sudan’s government used chemical weapons in 2024 and imposed sanctions.
The allegations arise amid a war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that began in April 2023, displacing about 16 million people and leaving more than 20 million facing hunger.
The African Commission began a session in Dakar on Monday, where the groups want it to press for independent inspections.
African civil society groups urged Sudan to admit OPCW inspectors to investigate allegations that the army used chemical weapons.
A resolution adopted in Dakar called for Sudan to declare chemical weapons sites and munitions and allow their independent verification and destruction.
Sudan denies using or possessing chemical weapons, while the United States says its government used them in 2024 and has imposed sanctions.
The forum also called for a ceasefire and an end to foreign support for the warring parties.
The conflict, which began in April 2023, has displaced about 16 million people, and more than 20 million face hunger, the forum said.
- Who
- African civil society groups urged Sudan to admit inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
- What
- They called for an investigation into allegations that the Sudanese army used chemical weapons and for declared sites and munitions to be independently verified and destroyed.
- When
- The resolution was adopted on Saturday at the end of a three-day forum. The article was published on October 12, 2026.
- Where
- Dakar, Senegal.
- Why
- The groups want an independent investigation into allegations of chemical weapons use by the Sudanese army.
Sudanese government
African civil society groups
Chemical weapons allegations
Sudanese government
Sudan denies the charges and says it neither produces, possesses nor uses chemical weapons.
African civil society groups
The groups want Sudan to admit OPCW inspectors to investigate the allegations.
Verification
Sudanese government
Sudan's interim report said it found no evidence of chemical weapons use.
African civil society groups
The groups called for independent verification of declared sites and munitions.
domestic bureaucratic mechanisms are not a substitute
neither produces, possesses nor uses chemical weapons
unilateral and unlawful
The war in Sudan began.
The United States said Sudan's government used chemical weapons.
Washington announced its finding that Sudan's government had used chemical weapons and imposed sanctions.
A Sudanese national committee's interim report found no evidence, and a second round of US sanctions took effect.
African civil society groups adopted their resolution at the end of a three-day forum in Dakar.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights began a session in Dakar.
- Forum location
- Dakar, Senegal
- Resolution
- Adopted at the end of a three-day forum
- Requested inspectors
- Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
- Displaced people
- About 16 million
- People facing hunger
- More than 20 million
Sources
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