US Withholds Visa for Sudanese Army Chief Ahead of UN Meeting

The United States announced it will withhold a visa for Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan ahead of his scheduled appearance at the United Nations, while Ghana is expanding the powers of its drug‑control agency following a series of high‑profile narcotics seizures in France, Belgium and South Africa. At the same time, Ivory Coast has entered its annual back‑to‑school period, with schools reopening nationwide for millions of students.

U.S. officials said the visa denial reflects concerns over al‑Burhan’s role in the ongoing conflict in Sudan and aligns with broader diplomatic pressure ahead of his UN engagement. Ghana’s Ministry of Health confirmed that the drug authority will receive additional resources and enforcement powers to combat the trafficking networks implicated in the recent European and African busts, which involved large quantities of synthetic opioids and cocaine. In Abidjan and other major cities, Ivory Coast’s Ministry of Education reported that schools have resumed classes, emphasizing the rollout of new textbooks and health protocols as enrollment reaches an estimated 5 million pupils.

These developments illustrate a range of security and social priorities across West Africa and the broader region, from international diplomatic actions and anti‑narcotics measures to the routine but critical task of ensuring uninterrupted education for the next generation.