S/2020/913 Security Council

I have the honour to enclose herewith a copy of the briefing provided by Ambassador Sven Jürgenson, Permanent Representative of Estonia, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005), concerning the Sudan, in connection with the video-teleconference on “Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan”, convened on Tuesday, 15 September 2020. A statement was also delivered by the representative of the Sudan. In accordance with the procedure set out in the letter by the President of the Security Council addressed to Permanent Representatives of the members of the Security Council dated 7 May 2020 (S/2020/372), which was agreed in the light of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this briefing and statement will be issued as an official document of the Security Council.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate the Sudan, on behalf of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan, on reaching the historic peace agreement. We commend the commitment of the transitional authorities to prioritize peace, and urge the parties that have not yet joined the peace agreement to do so urgently. We hope that this peace deal will pave the way to sustainable peace for all people in the Sudan. 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 Sudan Sanctions Committee, covering the period from 9 June to 14 September 2020. On 13 July 2020, the Committee held its first informal informal consultations remotely. The purpose of this informal meeting was to discuss the final report of the Panel of Experts (see S/2020/36) with the regional Member States and to continue strengthening the dialogue between the Committee and the regional Member States, in accordance with the mandate of the Committee. I convened a meeting in accordance with paragraph 28 of resolution 2340 (2017), by which the Security Council “[e]mphasize[d] the importance of holding regular consultations with concerned Member States, as may be necessary, in order to ensure full implementation of the measures set forth in this resolution”. After a brief presentation by the Panel’s Coordinator, the representatives of the Sudan, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Uganda made their statements. All representatives expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to share with the Committee and the Panel their views on the final report. We discussed with our interlocutors the issue of peace in the Sudan, borders, security and armed groups in the region. In accordance with paragraph 2 of resolution 2508 (2020), the Panel submitted to the Committee its interim report, which the Committee discussed during the informal informal consultations held on 18 August. Due to the restrictions warranted by the coronavirus disease pandemic, the Panel continued to collect and verify the information remotely. 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 security environment in Darfur has been volatile and has deteriorated in several areas. Bolstered by new gold-mining revenues, the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid has been able to increase its capability in Jebel Marra by recruiting new fighters and purchasing weapons, though the movement is divided by internal infighting. Intercommunal clashes and related attacks on civilians have increased since May, especially in West and South Darfur. Attacks on civilians have increased, in particular on internally displaced persons and farmers trying to return to their land. The Sanctions Committee recognizes the willingness of the Government of the Sudan to respond to the security incidents and the need for the necessary capacity- building to be provided in order to address this issue. The Panel also reported that most Darfuri rebel groups remain in Libya, where they have participated in large numbers in military clashes in 2020, including in Tripoli and Sirte. These rebel groups have grown significantly over the last six months, engaging in large-scale recruitment and obtaining new equipment. We would like to recognize the Government of the Sudan for increasingly acknowledging the issue of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations in Darfur, and would encourage them to address this issue. Regarding the implementation of sanctions, the Panel reported that parties in the Sudan have continued to transfer arms and other military material into Darfur, in violation of the arms embargo. Porous borders and the easy availability of small arms in Darfur and the region mean that illicit flows of weapons in and out of Darfur continue and pose a threat to security and stability both in Darfur and neighbouring countries. The Panel reported that the implementation of the travel ban and assets freeze also remains a challenge. In connection with the sanctions list, I would like to note that, as of 31 August 2020, the Committee has been considering a proposal, submitted by a Member State, for the delisting of four individuals. 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 to achieve sustainable peace. The 1591 Committee is committed to working together with the Sudan and all relevant stakeholders to make this a reality.

Let me begin by congratulating you, Sir, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council and expressing our confidence in your able leadership in steering the Council’s agenda during September. I also thank the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan, Ambassador Sven Jürgenson, for his quarterly briefing on the Committee’s work. There have been major positive developments in Darfur since my last statement before the Committee in June (see S/2020/528). On Monday, 31 August, the Government of the Sudan and the armed groups in Darfur, Blue Nile and eastern Sudan agreed on a peace deal to end 17 years of conflict. The agreement covers key issues around security arrangements, land ownership, transitional justice, power- sharing, civilian protection and the voluntary return of internally displaced persons. It also provides for the disarming of armed combatants and the integration of their fighters into the national army or civilian life. From 3 to 5 September, the Sudan’s Prime Minister, Mr. Abdalla Hamdok, met in Addis Ababa with Abdelaziz Al-Hilu, the leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North in South Kordofan. Together, they signed a declaration of principles, in which an agreement has been reached to establish negotiation workshops to resolve outstanding issues. These two agreements are considered to be a significant step in the transitional Government’s goal of resolving the root causes of the civil conflicts in the Sudan. My Government is committed to and will continue its quest to achieve sustainable, inclusive and lasting peace in the country. It is noteworthy that the Secretary- General has “congratulated the people of the Sudan for this historic achievement” and commended the parties to the negotiations for their “political will and determination in working towards the common objective of peace”. In this regard, the Security Council is called upon to positively react to these developments by lifting the measures it imposed pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) in 2005, because these measures have become completely irrelevant, counterproductive, outdated and surpassed by developments. A positive gesture in that direction would be the delisting of the four individuals who are currently sanctioned by the Committee. Earlier this month, we submitted a delisting request, supported by the relevant information from our own investigations and from the reports of the Committee’s Panel of Experts; however, the request was put on hold. We call on those countries that requested the technical hold measure to quickly reach the same conclusion, which motivated us to make the request in the first place. Since circumstances have fundamentally changed, not only in Darfur but in the whole country, the Sudan expects nothing less than to be treated with fairness by the Security Council. My Government reaffirms its full commitment to improving the overall protection of its citizens in Darfur, in particular, and other parts of the country in general. When some unfortunate intercommunal incidents occurred a couple of months back in Darfur, the Government took robust measures to prevent their recurrence. These measures included, but were not limited to, the deployment of 15,000 law enforcement personnel, the collection of unregulated small arms and light weapons, and encouragement of the traditional conflict-prevention mechanisms to resolve intercommunal clashes. Even though these measures have proven to be successful, a comprehensive peace would be the only solution to address any lingering challenges in Darfur. My Government submitted to the Security Council yesterday its first quarterly report on the implementation of the national plan of the Sudan for protecting civilians and requested the quarterly report to be circulated as an official document of the Security Council. Since the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid remains the only armed group that is still not a party to the agreements I mentioned earlier, we reiterate our appeal to the Council member in which he resides to encourage him to join the peace and mitigate the suffering of the people around the Jebel Marra area. The Sudan looks forward to engaging constructively with the Committee in the spirit of partnership that is essential to achieving the goal of preserving the peace in Darfur, which ultimately leads to the lifting of the sanction measures. I commend the Chair of the Committee for reiterating that the sanctions are not intended to punish the Sudan.