House Foreign Affairs hearing: witnesses and lawmakers urge immediate action to halt Sudan atrocities and restore humanitarian aid

A House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on the conflict in Sudan brought bipartisan urgency and detailed policy proposals on how the United States can press for an immediate cessation of mass atrocities and restore lifesaving aid.

Chairman Smith opened the hearing by framing the session as an examination of “the current state of conflict in Sudan, including very pervasive reports of atrocities against civilians and to evaluate U.S. policy options to bring the fighting to an end.” He and several members blamed external backers — frequently naming the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Iran among others — for fueling the fighting, and raised the possibility of designating the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a foreign terrorist organization.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Vincent Spera, who leads Sudan work at the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs, testified that the administration has sanctioned more than 40 individuals and entities connected to the conflict and has provided roughly $405,000,000 in assistance this year. Spera described a three‑pillar U.S. approach under a Quad (U.S., UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt) road map that prioritizes (1) pressing the belligerents to accept a 90‑day humanitarian truce, (2) using diplomacy to cut off external financing and arms flows, and (3) building conditions for a future…