UN Chief Guterres Slams 'Horrible' Sudan Crisis and Demands Accountability for Weapon Suppliers

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres described the situation in Sudan as “absolutely horrible” on Wednesday, demanding accountability for countries supplying weapons to the ongoing conflict. Ahead of next week’s UN General Assembly gathering in New York, Mr Guterres placed responsibility on Sudan's warring sides while also emphasizing the impact of foreign powers.

“What is happening in Sudan is absolutely horrible. The humanitarian situation in Sudan is devastating. The level of suffering of the Sudanese people is intolerable,” he stated. He added, “In my opinion, there should be accountability for the kind of interference in which some countries provide weapons to parties to a conflict when those weapons are used massively to attack civilians.”

While various nations face accusations of backing opposing factions in Sudan's civil war, the UAE has repeatedly rejected allegations of supporting the Rapid Support Forces. Meanwhile, Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, stated on Tuesday that neither of Sudan’s two warring generals has a “future” political role, signaling Washington’s backing for a swift transition to civilian rule.

“We see a future in the civilian transition. It needs to happen quickly and seamlessly, away from the two warring generals. We support this track only,” Mr Boulos said, noting that Mr Trump prioritized addressing the humanitarian crisis.

Turning to artificial intelligence, Mr Guterres warned against a global “race to the bottom” regarding AI safety. He called for international guardrails to manage rapidly developing systems that outpace our understanding of their risks, emphasizing that national measures alone are insufficient. “AI does not stop at borders and neither do its risks,” he said, noting that AI will be a central topic in his upcoming meetings with world leaders.

Addressing the Middle East, Mr Guterres expressed deep concern over ongoing Israeli strikes in Gaza and escalating settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. He criticized the “creeping annexation” of the West Bank driven by settler violence and warned that the proposed E1 Israeli settlement project could divide the territory, threatening the two-state solution and international law.