S/PV.7238 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. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Joint African Union-United Nations Special Representative for Darfur and Head of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, 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/2014/515, 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. Chambas. Mr. Chambas: I would like to thank the Council for this opportunity to brief the Security Council on the situation in Darfur. The Council has before it the Secretary-General’s most recent report on African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) (S/2014/515), which includes a summary of recent developments in Darfur and an update on measures undertaken by the mission to implement the strategic priorities, as requested by the Council in resolution 2148 (2014). While fighting between Government forces and armed movements has decreased considerably during the reporting period as compared to the previous one, intermittent inter-communal violence continued, mainly with renewed fighting among tribes competing for resources. Insecurity, acts of criminality and movement restrictions by Government forces, armed movements and militia groups pose a challenge to mandate implementation for UNAMID and impede the activities of humanitarian agencies, as well as being a threat to the safety and security of United Nations and humanitarian personnel. Since our last report there has been a relative easing in the fighting between Government forces and armed movements. The operations of the Rapid Support Force (RSF) have been significantly reduced in Darfur and attacks by the armed movements have been sporadic. The Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdul Wahid Al-Nur and Minni Minawi attacked Government positions in Rockero town in Central Darfur on 28 April, and Arowsharow and Gosminno villages in West Darfur on 22 May, respectively. On 26 June the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi and Ali Karbino clashed with Government forces in the Goba area near Kutum, in North Darfur, during which Ali Kabino was killed. The Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdul Wahid Al-Nur also attacked Government positions in Golo on 14 July. However, those armed movements have largely withdrawn from their strongholds in various locations in North and South Darfur. The upsurge in intra and inter-communal violence continues in many parts of Darfur. The most significant tribal clashes involved the Ma’alia and Southern Rizeigat in East Darfur, the Ma’alia and Hamar on the border area between East Darfur and Western Kordofan, the Northern Rizeigat and Beni Hussein in North Darfur, and the Salamat and Misseriya in Central Darfur. Eleven years into the conflict in Darfur, the humanitarian situation remains very dire. The number of people estimated to have been displaced by conflicts in Darfur since the beginning of 2014 has increased from 250,000 in the previous reporting period to over 385,000, alongside the more than 2 million long-term internally displaced persons (IDP). With close to 30 per cent of Darfur’s population displaced from their lands or homes and scattered in IDP camps and IDP-like conditions in many parts of Darfur, the imperative of a political solution to underpin the humanitarian efforts cannot be over emphasized. Notwithstanding, the challenging operational environment, UNAMID continues to undertake measures to implement its strategic priorities, as well as remaining focused on strengthening the streamlining of its operations to enhance mandate implementation in accordance with the strategic priorities set out in resolution 2148 (2014). The protection of civilians remains the core mandate of UNAMID and continues to form the main focus of our strategic and operational decisions. UNAMID military and police components form central pillars for the implementation of the UNAMID strategy for the protection of civilians, particularly as it relates to the physical protection of vulnerable communities. The Force Commander and Police Commissioner have been working hard to implement measures aimed at improving UNAMID’s force disposition, robustness and the recalibration of the strategy to protect civilians. We have witnessed an improvement in troop and police robustness and response. Recent attacks on UNAMID patrols were successfully repelled by UNAMID. On 24 May, we lost a peacekeeper who was killed when UNAMID intervened to protect civilians in Kabkabiya. Three other colleagues were injured in that incident. However, UNAMID inflicted significant casualties on the side of the attackers. Although even one death paid to implement the mission’s mandate is one too many, I must say that the immediate and decisive manner in which his fellow peacekeepers responded to the attack is a testimony to the positive impact of the mission’s efforts to address the preventive and pre-emptive posture of our troops. UNAMID’s casualty rate for the first half of 2014 dropped dramatically as compared with 2013. It is currently at the same level as other United Nations peacekeeping missions for 2014. Allow me to extend our sincere condolences to the distinguished representative of Rwanda for the loss of the Rwandan peacekeeper killed during the Kabkabiya attack. The soldier paid the ultimate price in the service of peace in Darfur. Our hearts go out to his family and to the Rwandan people for that sacrifice. In addition to the technical, logistical and programmatic support that the mission provided to Government, local and traditional institutions to raise awareness and improve the protective environment, the mission also provided technical support to local reconciliation initiatives in the Rezeigat and the Nawaiba conflict in Central Darfur in April, the conflict between the Ma’alia and southern Rezeigat in East Darfur, and the conflict between the northern Rezeigat and Beni Hussein in northern Darfur. Those are instances where UNAMID support helped to prevent, mitigate or minimize the potentially high toll of fatalities as a result of violent tribal clashes on the civilian population. In those cases, the Government also intervened decisively to pacify the situation, including through deploying its forces to mitigate continuing clashes between the tribes. I should also mention the continued role of Chad, which has deployed joint forces along its western border, especially in the Um Dukhan area. Similarly, the mission continues to work in partnership with the United Nations country team to provide physical protection and facilitation of humanitarian assistance to civilians who seek refuge around its team sites when under threat of attack. Recently, well-coordinated crisis management, involving all components of UNAMID, the United Nations country teams and other stakeholders, have enabled the mission to handle crises, such as that of the March attack on the Khor Abeche camp for IDPs, where the camp was attacked and burned down but UNAMID was able to protect the IDPs. More recently, the efforts of UNAMID and the United Nations country team to stabilize the situation in and around Saraf Umra after inter-ethnic violence led to the successful return of over 60,000 people to their places of origin. Through coordinated efforts like those, UNAMID and the country team are working together to ensure the integration of humanitarian support into the physical protection framework. Restrictions of movement on UNAMID decreased considerably during the reporting period. UNAMID land movements were restricted on 21 occasions, as compared with 72 restrictions during the previous reporting period. We attribute that to a three-track approach, focused on revised standard operating procedures by the military and police regarding the conduct of convoys when facing roadblocks or restrictions; monthly UNAMID notes verbales to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; regular consultations with senior officials of the Ministry; code cables to Headquarters detailing all restrictions of access; and sustained dialogue with our counterparts at the State, federal and local levels. All of that has contributed to the decreased access restrictions that we have witnessed. Of course, we hope that this will continue to be a trend into the future. Some progress was made in the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur. Since I last briefed the Council, the Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultation Implementation Committee was formally launched in El Fasher on 26 May. The 17-member Implementation Committee was established to lead the process and ensure local ownership, inclusiveness and transparency. The process is estimated to cost $7 million, which is expected to be funded through voluntary contributions to a trust fund managed by the United Nations Development Programme. Of that amount, the State of Qatar has pledged $1.7 million as seed money. The Government of Qatar also confirmed its pledge of $88 million to finance the Darfur Development Strategy foundational and short-term projects as well as releasing $10 million out of the $88 million to the United Nations Darfur Fund as of 27 April, during the meeting of the Executive Board of the Darfur Development Strategy, which was held in El Fasher in May. Similarly, efforts to address the root causes of the conflict in Darfur will require funding. I hereby also wish to renew my appeal through the Council for Member States to support these efforts by contributing to the United Nations Darfur Reconstruction and Development Fund. On security arrangements, the Darfur Ceasefire Commission made progress with the Justice and Equality Movement-Sudan, committing to commence a troop-verification exercise. A battalion of the Movement’s combatants, mainly from Tine and Kornoi in North Darfur, arrived in El Fasher in the first week of June to prepare for the verification process. As for the integration of the combatants of the Liberation and Justice Movement into the Sudan National Armed Forces and the Sudan Police Force, reception camps in South Darfur have been prepared by the Government. The Government has also earmarked the required funding for integration activities into its 2014 budget. Regarding my mediation efforts towards direct negotiations between the Government of the Sudan and non-signatory armed movements, I intensified coordination with the African Union High-level Implementation Panel and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to the Sudan and South Sudan to synchronize our mediation efforts in line with the request set out in resolution 2148 (2014). We agreed to explore organizing a preparatory meeting as soon as possible that would involve the representatives of the armed movements and the Government of the Sudan at a mutually convenient venue. The meeting is expected to explore ways of addressing the humanitarian and security situation in Darfur, deliberate on how the parties can bridge their differences, and make progress towards a comprehensive settlement of the Darfur conflict and the possibility of a unified mediation framework. The second phase, the streamlining exercise for UNAMID, is being undertaken in close coordination with Headquarters and the United Nations country team. We will soon be welcoming in Darfur a combined team from the United Nations and the African Union to begin the third phase, focused on mission support, the security sector and the Khartoum liaison office. Finally, it seems to me that the challenge for the international community remains how best to impress upon all the parties involved in the Darfur conflict that a military solution and the status quo are untenable. To that end, there is broad and general consensus that the proposed national dialogue initiative by President Al-Bashir represents an opportunity to resolve the crisis and other crises in the Sudan. All the parties, including all regional and international institutions that I have engaged with, welcome President Al-Bashir’s proposal for a national dialogue. Of course, there are questions on the details of the process. I urge the Council to play a more proactive role in supporting the holding of a successful dialogue in the Sudan. The Sudanese parties should be assisted to create the much-needed enabling environment for a genuine and inclusive dialogue and to recognize that the process could be a unique opportunity for sustainable resolution of all the conflicts afflicting the Sudan. For my part, I will continue to impress on the armed movements, in coordination with the African Union High-level Implementation Panel, the need for them to engage in and be part of the national dialogue process, without any preconditions. I will also continue to urge the Government of the Sudan to engage directly with the armed movements to agree security arrangements to ensure their participation in the national dialogue. The process should be utilized by all participants, Government and opposition alike and including the armed opposition, as an opportunity to raise all concerns, to make proposals and discuss initiatives that could be used to determine the future of a stable and democratic Sudan.

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

Allow me, first of all, to congratulate you, Mr. President, on presiding over the Security Council this month, which coincides with the Council’s consideration of the Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/515) on Darfur and the renewal of the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). I would also like to thank Mr. Chambas for his presentation. There can be absolutely no doubt that the period covered by the report witnessed a significant improvement in the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur, thanks to the efforts of the Sudanese Government. Where the report asserts in a number paragraphs that the situation was stable, that the working conditions of the mission had considerably improved and that there were neither obstacles to the movement of the Operation nor obstruction to the issuance of visas, that is due to our policy of full cooperation in facilitating the mission’s work from its establishment in 2007 by resolution 1769 (2007). Despite those significant advances, the report mentions that a number of incidents occurred during the first quarter of 2014, which it attributes to remnant armed groups that carried out attacks in Attewiesha, Haskanita, Alleit Jalal-Nabi and Kalamendu in the north and south of Darfur. Thus are all instances of violations during the reporting period attributed to such groups. We find that the facts have been presented in such a way that it is unclear who is responsible. For example, with regard to air strikes, despite contact with the authorities, we reject the allegations contained in the report. The report cannot mention unknown sources. The same holds true for the number of displaced persons, rapes and other violations. The statistics are imprecise, which runs counter to professionalism and the truth. With regard to the national dialogue, we would like to point out that it is a Sudanese initiative. It is an internal matter in which the Government is in charge. All the political parties agree on that. That is why the report goes beyond the mandate of the Joint Envoy. In paragraph 35, we note a unilateral declaration. The draft resolution to renew the mandate of the Operation should support the peace and stability Operation in Darfur and should focus on the mission’s priorities. The next few months will focus on support to the development and relaunching of the recovery and rebuilding efforts and on providing assistance to the displaced persons who are returning to their homes, in particular those who are returning voluntarily. We would like to remind the Council that resolution 1769 (2007), which established UNAMID, stipulates in paragraph 24 that the Council will consider the end of the mission’s mandate when the situation has significantly improved. Well, the situation has significantly improved. We are moving forward in the peace and stability operation within the framework of the national dialogue initiative, which guarantees remnant armed groups the right to participate fully just like other political parties. We are therefore already envisioning an exit strategy for the mission. While we recognize the interest of the United Nations in peace and security in the Sudan and Darfur, we would like to note that the huge amount of funds allocated since 2007, had they been allocated for various projects in Darfur, would certainly have saved the Organization a great amount of money. Now it is important to consider a withdrawal strategy for UNAMID, in cooperation with the African Union. The consolidation of peace and stability in Darfur is rooted in the President’s initiative for national dialogue. The Government has provided a number of guarantees for the participation of armed groups in that dialogue, and no obstacles have been placed in their way. That is why we count on the Council to ensure that the dialogue is successful, by sending a clear message to armed groups to become involved without preconditions. Success in that dialogue is the shortest path towards achieving peace and stability in Darfur and in Sudan as a whole. All the parties in the Sudan, whether the Government or the opposition, agree on the importance of the dialogue. It is essential that it be launched immediately. In conclusion, it is important for the information contained in the Secretary-General’s reports on Darfur to be objective, impartial and professional to avoid overstepping the mandate of the mission.

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