S/PV.8311 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. Members of the Council have before them document S/2018/693, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 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.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2429 (2018). I now give the floor to the representative of the Sudan.

I would like to express the thanks and appreciation of the Government of the Sudan to Council members for being so understanding and willing to adopt by consensus resolution 2429 (2018) on the extension of the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). We have been communicating with all Council members since the draft resolution was submitted by the United Kingdom. I would like once again to thank the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for the recommendations made in their joint report on the future of UNAMID (S/2018/530), in accordance with the request of the Security Council. The reality on the ground in the five states of Darfur during the recent period is undeniable and unforgettable. In all our statements and letters to the Security Council and the Secretary-General, we have recalled that Darfur has enjoyed security and stability, in particular since 2015, and that the humanitarian situation has become completely stable. In our assessment of the security, humanitarian and political situations in Darfur, we are relying not on only one or two documents, but entirely on the reality on the ground, as recognized by the Council through many reports, visits, presidential statements and other testimonies. The Government of the Sudan and all its agencies recognize the importance of the upcoming phase of the peacebuilding process and enhancing stability in Darfur in order to rebuild what was destroyed by years of conflict and repair the social fabric. This will be done through development projects that address the root causes of the conflict so that Darfur can contribute again to building the Sudan. Therefore, we call on the international community through all its institutions — the United Nations, donor States and others — to provide the necessary financial and development support and to stand with the Government of the Sudan to implement those plans as swiftly as possible. We also underscore that the Sudanese Government is determined to continue to address the consequences and remnants of the conflict, provide security and restore State authority throughout Darfur in order to enable peacebuilding efforts and enhance stability. The reality on the ground in Darfur has developed resolutely. We have started to see signs of that reflected in the respective reports issued by various entities of the United Nations and of the African Union Commission, as well as during various visits, including by Council members. It is also reflected in the removal of the Sudan from the list of violations against children and in the joint report of the Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the AU Commission. All this has culminated in today’s adoption of resolution 2429 (2018), which we welcome. Today, we should celebrate this joint achievement. The adoption of the resolution reaffirms that life in Darfur has returned to normal after years of conflict and that the UNAMID formula has proven to be successful. The Government of my country has played a leading role in accordance with our primary responsibility to protect our citizens and our national sovereignty. That has taken place in extremely complicated circumstances, including regional tensions, the spread of small deadly arms, human trafficking and terrorism. I assure the Council that the Government of the Sudan stands ready to continue to cooperate with UNAMID and other United Nations entities in order to bring normalcy to the situation in Darfur. It is my pleasure to tell you, Mr. President, that the implementation of the resolution has started with the declaration made on 12 July by the President of the Republic of the Sudan on a complete ceasefire, which we have already reported on. It also has started with the positive assessment issued yesterday by the Implementation Follow-Up Commission of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, which includes the Sudan, neighbouring countries and permanent members of Security Council, as well as partners of peace, the United Nations Secretariat and regional organizations. In conclusion, we are pleased yet again to reaffirm our great thanks and appreciation to all our friends around the world. We are sincerely grateful to them, as they have stood with integrity, strength and honour for the cause of peace in the Sudan. We thank the countries with wich we have engaged in dialogue, which we hope will lead to stronger bilateral relations. We also reiterate our thanks to Council members. The Government of the Sudan is determined to honour its commitment to peace in our country and with our neighbours and the world.