S/2020/1235 Security Council

I have the honour to transmit herewith a copy of the briefing provided by the Permanent Representative of Estonia, Sven Jürgenson, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan, in connection with the videoconference on the item entitled “Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan”, convened on 11 December 2020 (see annex). In accordance with the procedure set out in the letter dated 7 May 2020 from the President of the Security Council addressed to the Permanent Representatives of the members of the Security Council (S/2020/372), which was agreed upon in the light of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, these briefings and statements are to be issued as documents of the Council.

Briefing on the work of the Committee 11 December 2020 In accordance with paragraph 3 (a) (iv) of resolution 1591 (2005), I have the honour to brief the Security Council on the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan, covering the period from 15 September to 10 December 2020. The travel of the Panel of Experts on the Sudan has been limited owing to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, despite restrictions and thanks to the facilitation of the Government of the Sudan, the Panel managed to visit the Sudan in October and November and is expected to present its final report to the Committee in due course. The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, would like to express his appreciation to the Government of the Sudan for enabling and supporting these important visits despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. On 25 September 2020, the Committee received the second quarterly report from the Panel of Experts. For the benefit of the Council, so that it can provide the best support to the Sudan regarding the most recent developments on the ground, I would like to highlight the following elements from the Panel’s reporting. The Panel reported that the participants in peace process negotiations demonstrated their willingness to achieve peace, which resulted in the signing of the Juba Agreement for Peace in the Sudan. Several major issues, including land ownership and land use in Darfur, need to be addressed in order to secure lasting peace. Abdul Wahid Nur and his Sudan Liberation Army (SLA-AW), who continued to control some areas in the Jebel Marra region of Darfur, remained outside of the peace process. Under the security arrangements agreed upon in Juba, the forces of the signatory Darfurian movements were supposed to return to Darfur and start a process of integration in the security forces in the coming months. The Panel cautioned that, if not managed carefully, that return of thousands of well-armed fighters could generate some localized instability, in particular in the context of increased intercommunal tensions in Darfur in the past few months. The Panel reported that internally displaced persons continued to be extremely vulnerable to different forms of violence, insecurity and restriction of access to farmlands, while also being subjected to attacks that resulted in killings and injuries to many. The majority of the perpetrators of these human rights abuses went unpunished. However, the situation can be improved by increasing the capacity and resources of the security forces, particularly in rural areas, as well as filling gaps in the rule of law and administration of justice sectors. The outbreaks of clashes in some areas, as well as infighting between different SLA-AW factions, were having a negative impact on the civilian population. Women and girls continued to bear the brunt of the violations of international humanitarian law and human rights. In terms of regional dynamics, the Panel wrote that those remained favourable to the peace process in Darfur. On the other hand, the situation in Libya continued to be a major threat to peace and security in the region, as a significant number of Darfurian elements continued to engage in the Libyan conflict. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that the sanctions regime was established for the sole purpose of helping to bring peace to Darfur. It is not to punish the Sudan, but to support the attainment of sustainable peace. The Committee reiterates its commitment to work together with the Sudan and all relevant stakeholders to make this a reality.