S/PV.7250 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. 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. Members of the Council have before them document S/2014/628, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by France, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2173 (2014). I now give the floor to the representative of the Sudan.

I would like to begin by thanking you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to comment on today’s resolution (2173 (2014), which renews the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). In our view, however, the resolution does not acknowledge all of the positive developments that have occurred in Darfur over the past few months, as detailed in the Secretary-General’s report on the subject (S/2014/515). Much of the report clearly confirms the ongoing stabilization in the five states that make up Darfur. In addition, the statement made to the Council by the Joint African Union-United Nations Special Representative for Darfur, Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas affirmed the same conclusions (see S/PV.7238). We had hoped that a new resolution would have focused on the stabilization process and on promoting the resulting stability, based on implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, as well as on supporting and promoting UNAMID’s activities. We have stated previously that Darfur has now moved beyond the peacekeeping stage and into a phase of stabilization, recovery and reconstruction, which is why the UNAMID mandate should reflect the requirements of that phase. The resolution should therefore have gone beyond expressions of condemnation and concern, in view of the fact that the security and humanitarian situations are now stable. My country entered a new phase since the initiative taken on 27 January by the President of the Republic of the Sudan, Mr. Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, to launch the national dialogue that has now been established throughout the country, as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Mr. Menkerios, has attested. We appreciate today’s resolution, especially those paragraphs that welcome the national dialogue and condemn the rebel groups that try to hinder such dialogue. While today’s resolution renews UNAMID’s mandate for 10 months, we are resolved to achieve the objectives of our comprehensive national dialogue before those 10 months are up, particularly in the area of political inclusivity. We are determined to achieve the goals of the comprehensive national dialogue before those 10 months have elapsed, particularly in the light of the positive political advances. We are determined to bury the hatchet and let bygones be bygones; it is now time to begin implementing paragraph 24 of resolution 1769 (2007). We have turned the page on military confrontation with certain rebel groups. Beyond our successful efforts in containing tribal violence, we are determined to end that chapter through reconciliation initiatives among the tribes. In conclusion, political settlement is the best solution. We are determined to promote inclusive national dialogue in order to bring the efforts made in favour of peace and stability in Darfur to a successful conclusion. I wish to express thanks and appreciation to all those who have made continuing efforts in recent days in order to achieve peace and stability in Darfur. We hope that the Security Council’s resolutions will have a positive impact on the peace process.

I shall now give the floor to the member of the Security Council who wishes to make a statement after the voting.

My delegation is pleased with the unanimous adoption of resolution 2173 (2014). The Security Council and the international community have not stood by with indifference with respect to the ongoing deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur. Chad expresses its deep concern over the tenuous security situation impeding the daily operations of humanitarian agencies on the ground and compromising the distribution of humanitarian assistance and food to needy people. Chad welcomes the efforts undertaken and the sacrifices made by the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) as it carries out its mandate, in particular with respect to the protection of civilians, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance, providing security for humanitarian workers and undertaking mediation in the intercommunal negotiations. In order to enable the mission to contribute to the protection of civilians and promote peace and security, the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, in its 9 July communiqué, decided to extend UNAMID’s mandate for 12 months and called on the Security Council to act in a similar manner. While we welcome the adoption of resolution 2173 (2014), Chad regrets that the Security Council did not take into account the request of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union in its totality. We nevertheless believe that, with the adoption of this resolution, the prevailing humanitarian situation in Darfur will be improved due to the mobilization of additional resources. In addition, Chad calls on both Councils to continue to work together in future as partners and to take decisions to avoid controversies on issues of key importance. Moreover, Chad believes that it is important to continue to deal with the crisis in Darfur in its regional dimension, in view of the repercussions that it could have on the stability of neighbouring countries. We welcome the fact that the resolution just adopted takes those concerns into account. We have always said that there is no military solution to the crisis in Darfur and that we need to promote a national dialogue, given that there has been progress and hope. From that perspective, we call on all players involved to refrain from any action that could compromise the planned national dialogue and to undertake a transparent, inclusive and holistic process that makes it possible to promote peace and stability in the Sudan.

The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.