I thank the Secretary-General and Ms Eltigani for briefing us today as we pass the harrowing milestone of eighteen months of brutal conflict in Sudan.
I will make three points on behalf of the UK.
First, we welcome the Secretary-General’s recommendations for the protection of civilians in Sudan. Both warring parties made commitments at Jeddah to limit the conflict’s impact on civilians.
And yet only this past weekend, we have had further appalling reports of major attacks in Al Jazirah State resulting in over 100 civilian deaths, with the Rapid Support Forces allegedly shooting at civilians indiscriminately, raping women and girls, and looting and destroying homes.
Meanwhile, aerial bombardments by the Sudanese Armed Forces are causing large-scale destruction and civilian deaths across the country.
Alleviating the plight of Sudanese civilians is critical, and we hope the Council can come together in the coming weeks to agree further steps supporting the implementation of these recommendations from the Secretary-General.
Second, as we’ve heard today, the humanitarian crisis continues. With famine in Darfur and cholera spreading across the country, millions are at risk of an early, preventable death.
And yet bureaucratic obstructions continue. Expelling UN staff and restricting the movements of humanitarian missions, are just a few damning examples of how life-saving assistance is being systematically blocked from reaching those in need.
We urge the Sudanese authorities to permanently open the Adre border crossing.
We reiterate our clear calls to both warring parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and facilitate cross-border and crossline access, across multiple entry points.
Third President, we call on the warring parties to engage meaningfully with existing diplomatic initiatives–including the efforts of Personal Envoy Lamamra–towards a national ceasefire.
We also call on the SAF and RSF to agree modalities for monitoring compliance with their commitments made under the Jeddah Declaration. Civil society and women’s participation is also vital for peace efforts to be fully effective.
In conclusion, coordinated, international action, including by the African Union and the United Nations, is more important now than ever. The RSF and SAF must bring an end to the fighting now.
