S/PV.7100 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of the Sudan to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2014/26, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. I now give the floor to Mr. Ladsous.

I thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the opportunity to brief the Council on the situation in Darfur. The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General of 15 January (S/2014/26), and I would like to give the Council some additional information on the most recent developments with regard to the peace process, security and the humanitarian situation. At the outset, in a context in which the peace process is making only limited progress, the security situation in Darfur remains unstable, particularly in terms of intercommunal violence. That, of course, has a major impact on civilians, especially given the limited access of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) to vulnerable populations. Moreover, we have noted a continued increase in attacks by armed assailants on UNAMID and humanitarian workers, which is a cause of serious concern. Unfortunately, it must be said that to date the Government has not prosecuted the perpetrators, despite the Sudanese Government’s promises to investigate and arrest those involved. In addition to the armed clashes described in the report before the Council, I would also like to cite two additional recent examples, beginning with an incident that occurred on 9 January, involving clashes between the Karbino and Abu Bashir militia groups, which originally belonged to the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)-Minni Minawi, in Khor Abeche in Southern Darfur, which dominates that region. The fighting erupted during a meeting at which operations were being discussed. Ten members of the Abu Bashir militia, including its leaders, were killed, while there were three dead and 11 injured on the Karbino side. During the fighting, a fire broke out in the nearby internally displaced persons (IDP) camp and destroyed 100 shelters. Therefore, the affected displaced persons had to seek shelter on UNAMID’s base. Another incident erupted on 12 January. UNAMID sent reinforcements from Labado in eastern Darfur to Khor Abeche to strengthen security in the IDP camp, which was under serious threat. The situation is now calm. As the Council is aware, Darfur has been the scene of an increasing number of attacks on Government personnel and civilians by armed elements  — gangs  — that generally seek to steal vehicles and various resources. This occurred on 7 January, when a commercial convoy of 300 vehicles carrying supplies to the Sudanese Armed Forces, near Nertiti in central Darfur, was ambushed by elements of the Sudan Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid. Six vehicles with their drivers were seized by the attackers. An operation carried out immediately thereafter by the Sudanese Armed Forces recovered the stolen vehicles, and resulted in the death of 12 militia members and nine arrests. Looking at the situation overall and in the light of all the serious threats faced by UNAMID and humanitarian workers as a result of all the targeted armed attacks and carjackings, robberies and banditry, it is with great sadness that I must say that no fewer than 16 peacekeepers were killed as a result of hostile acts in 2013. That is a 50 per cent increase over the previous year, which brings to 57 the number of peacekeepers killed since the Mission was deployed six years ago. Clearly, we must offer our condolences to the Government and families of the members of the military and police personnel who have been killed. I believe that also we must condemn in the strongest terms those responsible for the attacks. The Government of the Sudan must investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice expeditiously. On 29 December 2013, the most recent attack took place in which a Senegalese and a Jordanian policemen were killed. Since then, we have been informed that the attacker had been arrested at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europene of the crime but was freed on bail. I think it is only right to expect the Government of the Sudan to complete the investigation as swiftly as possible, share its conclusions with UNAMID and bring the parties to justice. The last time I was personally in Darfur, in July, there was an extremely serious attack in the Jebel Marra area of southern Sudan. Three Nigerian soldiers were seriously injured. I visited them in hospital. We know that three of the attackers were killed because our Nigerian soldiers put up a good fight. However, we never determined anything with regard to where they had come from, who they represented, or to which group they may have belonged. We expect the Government of the Sudan to devote due diligence to that inquiry. (spoke in English) Secondly, with regard to the peace process, it must be said that the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur has progressed very slowly. While I can report that the signatories have achieved some limited progress, primarily in the areas of planning and administration, that success, if one can call it that, did not result in direct and significant benefits to the general population of Darfur. It seems clear that the parties must accelerate the implementation of the outstanding provisions of the agreement and place increased focus on the dividends of peace — tangible benefits to local communities, which must of course include the displaced persons, who now number close to 2 million. The African Union and United Nations Joint Special Representative and Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur, Mohamed ibn Chambas, continues to work with the parties to the conflict and the countries of the region to reach a cessation of hostilities so as to enable humanitarian access and continue progress towards an inclusive peace agreement. In December 2013, Mr. Chambas held, in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a technical workshop on peace and security for representatives of the SLA-Minni Minawi and the Justice and Equality Movement-Jibril Ibrahim in Addis Ababa. The movements expressed their readiness, under the umbrella of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front, to engage in negotiations with the Government on a cessation of hostilities. They also pledged their commitment to providing unrestricted access for humanitarian and development personnel to areas under their control. Further engagement with the movements still holding out, which hitherto have been unmoved towards joining the peace process, is planned for early 2014. Turning now to the humanitarian situation, it must be concluded that during 2013 it deteriorated significantly. An estimated 400,000 additional people were forced to flee new outbreaks of conflict. That figure represents more than the combined number of displacements that occurred during 2011 and 2012. The total number of internally displaced people has now increased to almost 2 million. It is clear that protracted displacement, food insecurity and a lack of basic services drive chronic vulnerability in the region. Malnutrition rates are above emergency thresholds in all five of the states of Darfur, and less than 10 per cent of the population has access to both clean water and improved sanitation. High levels of humanitarian need are expected to persist in 2014. A total of 3.5 million people — approximately 30 per cent of the population of Darfur — currently receive humanitarian assistance from the international community. Turning to the prospects, the overall security situation in Darfur obviously remains volatile and, in fact, deteriorated over the course of 2013. In this regard, and as requested in resolution 2113 (2013), a strategic review was conducted by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the African Union, UNAMID and the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to look at ways to improve UNAMID’s impact on the ground. The review assessed the implications for the Mission of emerging conflict dynamics, analysed the Mission’s ability to address the drivers of conflict, and set out recommendations for improving the Mission’s effectiveness. Several key challenges were identified by the review, including the cooperation of the Government in the implementation of the mandate, UNAMID’s internal management, including coordination with the country team, and the capacities of its troop and police components. We are now working on developing a concrete plan to address these challenges. The complete findings and recommendations of the review will be communicated to the Council, as requested, by the end of February. As Council members are aware, the current crisis in South Sudan has had an impact on Darfur, with a reported influx of South Sudanese into eastern Darfur and other parts of the Sudan. Darfur armed movements have reportedly taken part in the fighting in South Sudan, and nomadic communities are unable to pass into South Sudan on their seasonal migration. One must commend the approach taken by President Al-Bashir in this regard, but I would like to point out that this crisis has the potential to draw in many of the Sudanese rebel movements and to unravel the efforts not only to resolve the crisis in Darfur, but also the conflict in the Southern Kordofan/Blue Nile area and, more broadly, the efforts to normalize Sudan/South Sudan relations. To conclude, let me say again that the security situation in Darfur continues to be unstable and the protection needs of the local population remain considerable. Efforts must continue to address the associated challenges facing humanitarian and protection actors in the short term, including through the increased support of UNAMID to local mediation efforts. But at the same time, it is clear that finding lasting solutions for the affected local population in Darfur lies inherently in the larger political context of Darfur. That means the need for a ceasefire and a comprehensive peace agreement. At the same time, there is a need to address better, with the Government, the issue of improved access to populations affected by conflict. I strongly urge the Government to observe the terms of the status-of- forces agreement and to ensure that Mission personnel have full and unhindered freedom of movement for the substantive implementation of the mandate throughout Darfur.

I thank Mr. Ladsous for his briefing. I now give the floor to the representative of the Sudan.

At the outset, I should like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council this month. Your friendly and brotherly country, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, plays a leading role in building peace at the regional and international levels. That means that we expect a great deal from you, Sir, in your capacity as President of the Security Council. I would like, through you, Sir, also congratulate the other new members of the Council — Chad, brotherly Nigeria, Chile and Lithuania, with whom we have a great many ties. I would be remiss if I did not thank Mr. Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, for his briefing, even though we do not share all of his positions on all matters. Among the main elements of the report that was submitted for the Council’s consideration (S/2014/26), paragraph 2 states that progress towards the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur has been made. How has it made progress? That is the starting point of an assessment of the situation in Darfur. Even though we recognize that, during the period covered by the report, tribal clashes have taken place, leading to very difficult humanitarian conditions in a number of cases, tribal clashes are as ancient as Darfur itself. Nature certainly plays a leading role in those clashes and confrontations, which often take place as a result of competition for natural resources — water, pasture land and, recently, local gold mines. The clashes are thus ancient ones. The Government of the Sudan has undertaken a great many initiatives aimed at reconciliation, which have led to reconciliation agreements between the various tribes, such as those that took place between the Aballa and the Beni Hussein, between the Salamat and the Misseriya, between the Ma’alia and the Rezeigat, and between the Rezeigat and the Hamar. The Government continues to attempt put an end to the clashes and confrontations between the various tribes in Darfur. That having been said, the Council should not forget that the implementation of the Doha Document has made progress and continues along the agreed path, despite, naturally, certain delays in a number of areas. There are indeed some delays, but there are reasons for that. First, the loss of oil resources has had a great impact on the Sudan, following South Sudan’s independence. Members of the Council should know that the loss of those resources has had an impact on the economic situation of the Sudan. Secondly, the slow pace of the implementation of the commitments undertaken by the various donors during the Doha Conference is also a cause of delay. That leads us to launch an international appeal from this Chamber to ensure that commitments with respect the Sudan be met and that sanctions be lifted in order for the Government to be in a position to continue its operations aimed at peace, development and reconstruction in Darfur. In that respect, I would also like to state that delays in a number of areas of work also result partially from the fact that a number of groups that had joined the peace process have been targeted. Members of the Council will recall that Mr. Mohammed Bashar and a number of other leaders who had joined the Doha peace process were killed last year, thus causing additional delay in the implementation of the Doha Document. Despite all of that, the Government is committed to continuing the peace process. In his statement, Mr. Ladsous referred to the importance of arresting and bringing to justice those who recently attacked the African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). However, pursuant to paragraph 4 of the report of the Secretary-General, the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Darfur  — an office set up pursuant to the Doha Document — has initiated a number of inquiries and investigations into those incidents, including the most recent attack, on 7 January, in the region of Gereida. That is in addition to other existing inquiries. We had already informed the Security Council of the rulings of the Special Criminal Court on the Events in Darfur, which included the imposition of the death penalty in the case of the incident related to Abu Zerega, which was referred to the penultimate report of the Secretary- General (S/2013/607), together with 56 other inquiries under way. I would also like to report that the Sudanese Government has invited the African Union (AU), in cooperation with UNAMID, to have the AU send experts to witness that judicial proceedings are in line with international standards. That reaffirms the effectiveness of Sudanese institutions, their impartiality and their effective operational ability. When it comes to the implementation of the Darfur Development Strategy, in conformity with paragraph 6 of report of the Secretary-General, a number of commercial agreements were reached between local contractors and the Darfur Regional Authority to implement 315 projects of an overall value of $82.5 million, in cooperation with the country team, involving the construction or rehabilitation of education, electricity, health-care and water services. Members of the Council know that the Implementation Follow-up Commission on the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur meets regularly, the last meeting having taken place on 16 December in El Fasher. As to the political issues, we welcome the role played by Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, African Union and United Nations Joint Special Representative and Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur, in bringing in those movements that reject peace and the Doha Document. What remains lacking in that regard is action by the Security Council. I would like to refer in that respect to Chad, a brotherly country, and the initiative of its President, Mr. Idriss Deby Itno, aimed at gathering various rebel groups in Um Jaras to ensure that the movements join the peace process. What is lacking, therefore, is the role to be played by the Security Council. Mr. Ladsous said quite clearly that the rebel groups in Darfur were clashing even outside the borders of the Sudan, including in a brotherly country where we would prefer to see peace and stability prevail, namely, South Sudan. As Mr. Ladsous said, those Darfur factions are parties to the conflict in South Sudan. We had already reiterated to the Council that dealing with those groups in a flexible way — cutting them slack, as the saying goes — gave them the impression, in fact, that they had the green light to participate in clashes and conflict beyond Darfur, including in the south of Kordofan and in the north and east of Kordofan, at the very heart of the Sudan. The Security Council has heard the various briefings, but it has not played the role it has been assigned, namely, to exert the necessary pressure on those groups and to support the efforts of Joint Special Representative Chambas. Mohamed Ibn Chambas was invited to Arusha and held a technical workshop in Addis Ababa, as noted by Mr. Ladsous, in which he invited the various rebel groups to participate. However, those groups chose the path of armed confrontation. The Security Council must therefore exert pressure on those groups to join the political process, sign the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, end their procrastination and renounce all of their impossible preconditions so that everyone can work together for the development, reconstruction and revitalization of the Sudan.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion of the subject.