S/PV.8964 Security Council

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/2022/111, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United States of America. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2022/48, which contains a letter dated 24 January 2022 from the Panel of Experts on the Sudan established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) addressed to the President of the Security Council. 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 2620 (2022). I now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting.

The United States wishes to thank Council members for their constructive engagement on resolution 2620 (2022), renewing the mandate of the Panel of Experts on the Sudan. The Panel’s reporting continues to play a critical role in informing the Council’s efforts to decrease conflict and promote peace in Darfur. We welcome the extension today of its mandate for a further 12 months. Thirty years of military rule did not bring peace to Darfur. The Sudan cannot wait any longer to resolve its political crisis, which has impacts far beyond the capital. A restored transitional Government must immediately get to work to implement the Juba Peace Agreement and establish durable mechanisms to monitor, document and deter instability. Our support remains firmly with the Sudanese people and their demand for civilian-led democracy as the only true guarantee of stability and prosperity. We believe that unified international efforts are essential to facilitating an inclusive, Sudanese-led political process to restore the Sudan’s democratic transition and civilian rule. For that reason, the United States strongly supports the efforts of Special Representative Perthes and the team of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan (UNITAMS) to advance the Council’s goal of a secure and stable Sudan. As described in the recent report of the Panel of Experts (see S/2022/48), armed militias and their supporters have continued to attack, kill and loot with impunity in Darfur. Intercommunal violence, with continuing cycles of attacks and counter-attacks rather than a genuine resolution, threatens social cohesion and diminishes the sustainability of the peace process. That violence worsened in 2021 as the Sudan’s political crisis became protracted. All the above-mentioned underscores the need for continued robust monitoring and reporting by the Panel of Experts. We look forward to close collaboration with our fellow Council members, the Panel of Experts, UNITAMS and other key stakeholders to promote peace and security in Darfur and the region.

Darfur is at a critical stage of transition from peacekeeping to peace-building. While the security situation in Darfur is generally stable, it is still fragile, with frequent incidents of tribal conflict and violent looting. Recently, United Nations staff, including Chinese nationals, were attacked in an armed robbery in Darfur. China herewith registers its strong condemnation, and we call on the United Nations to effectively coordinate with the local police in the Sudan, conduct a prompt investigation and take concrete measures to ensure the safety of United Nations personnel. The Sudanese authorities bear the primary responsibility for maintaining stability and protecting civilians following the withdrawal of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. It is an urgent task to strengthen the security capacity- building of the Sudanese authorities, which has been negatively impacted by the arms embargo. The Security Council should adjust the sanctions measures in a timely manner in the light of the changing dynamics. Resolution 2620 (2022), which was just adopted, calls for setting benchmarks for adjusting the sanctions measures against the Sudan by a set date. China expressed its support for that idea by voting in favour of the resolution. It should be noted that resolution 2562 (2021), adopted last year, called for setting benchmarks in order to adjust the sanctions measures by 15 September 2021. Regrettably, the provisions of that resolution are yet to be implemented. Resolution 2620 (2022), which was just adopted, resets the deadline for certain clear, well-defined and realistic benchmarks for 31 August. China looks forward to working with Council members to implement all the requirements.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as representative of the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation voted in favour of resolution 2620 (2022), extending the mandate of the Panel of Experts on the Sudan. At the same time, we regret the fact that, under spurious politicized pretexts, a number of Security Council members prevented our reaching an agreement on benchmarks for lifting the arms embargo on the Sudan. In resolution 2562 (2021), the Security Council expressed its intention to determine such benchmarks by the fall of 2021. It therefore seems that the Council is undermining its own commitments in that regard. We trust that the new deadline set by resolution 2620 (2022) to complete that work by 31 August will be respected. The benchmarks must be clear, realistic and achievable. We believe that the Sudan sanctions regime no longer corresponds to the actual situation in Darfur. Moreover, it is hindering Khartoum’s implementation efforts in State-building and socioeconomic development plans for the region. As a matter of principle, we advocate that the Council’s sanctions should be justified beyond reproach and subject to regular review and modifications, until they are lifted entirely. It is unacceptable to use them as a punitive instrument. I now resume my functions as President of the Council.