S/PV.9722 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of the United Arab Emirates to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. At this meeting, the Security Council will hear a briefing by Ambassador Joonkook Hwang, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations and Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005), concerning the Sudan. I now give the floor to Ambassador Hwang. Mr. Hwang: In accordance with paragraph 3 (a) of resolution 1591 (2005), I have the honour to brief the Security Council on the work of the Sudan Sanctions Committee, covering the period from 14 June to today. During the reporting period, the Committee met once in informal consultations and received the Sudan Panel of Experts interim report. On 19 August, the Committee heard a presentation by the Sudan Panel of Experts on its interim report. The Coordinator provided the Committee with an overview of the deteriorating situation in El Fasher, reporting that all the parties to the conflict used heavy weaponry in El Fasher, which resulted in civilian causalities, mass displacement and the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure. The Panel stated that, in addition to worsening the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, the conflict is also destabilized the region. The Committee also took note of the Panel’s recommendations.

I thank Ambassador Hwang for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council — namely, Algeria, Sierra Leone and my own country, Mozambique — and Guyana (A3+). We wish to express our appreciation to Ambassador Joonkook Hwang, Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005), for presenting the Chair’s report. More than 500 days have gone by since the conflict in the Sudan erupted. With each passing day, the situation in the country, especially in Darfur, continues to deteriorate, with unspeakable violations being committed against civilians and dramatic consequences for the humanitarian situation. In our view, the complexity of the challenges in Darfur requires a multifaceted and inclusive approach, one that must encompass the protection of civilians, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, as well as accountability for the crimes against civilians and for the violations of the arms embargo by both internal and external actors. It is unfortunate that external actors continue to fuel the conflict, thereby causing unimaginable suffering for the Sudanese people. It also makes it challenging to find a sustainable solution for the crisis. We, the A3+, and the Council as a whole therefore need to consider relevant ways to address that negative interference, in accordance with the arms embargo measures established by the Council. In that context, we are of the view that the Security Council should speak with one voice in support of ongoing United Nations efforts and those deployed by other partners to end the conflict and to restore peace in the Sudan. Resolution 2750 (2024), which we just adopted unanimously (see S/PV.9721), is testament to the Council’s ability to find common ground even when various positions seem difficult to reconcile. That unity is crucial to effectively addressing this and other global challenges. As Council members and guarantors of the maintenance of international peace and security, it is our collective responsibility to support peacemaking and peacebuilding efforts in the Sudan in a holistic manner, in order to sustainably address the challenges facing the country. While condemning violations of international law, international humanitarian law and the arms embargo, it is also important to recognize the positive steps taken to ease the suffering of civilians. In that regard, the decision by the Government of the Sudan to reopen the Adré border crossing and the Dabbah road is commendable. It must be sustained. The A3+ stands ready to continue cooperating with the members of the Security Council in support of peace and stability in the Sudan. It is high time that the Sudan overcome its challenges and regain its status as a vibrant and prosperous African nation.

I now give the floor to the representative of the United Arab Emirates.

It is vital for the Security Council to remain seized of the dire situation in the Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates welcomes the renewal of the Sudan sanctions regime. However, I am compelled to participate in this meeting to respond to the baseless allegations made earlier this morning (see S/PV.9721) by the Sudanese representative, whom, as we all know, represents one of the warring parties and whose legitimacy to represent the people of the Sudan is questionable, to say the least. His claims are utterly false and are a cynical attempt to deflect attention from the failings of the Sudanese armed forces. Despite the immensely high stakes, the Sudanese armed forces have shown zero political courage. The warring parties have caused this catastrophe and only they can end it. The Sudanese representative, and through him the Sudanese armed forces, should be asked how they can claim they want peace for their people when they have repeatedly refused to come to the negotiating table. How can they justify using starvation as a weapon of war? How can they claim to be a credible and responsible representative of the Sudanese people when they will not heed their calls to end this war? To end this conflict, the Sudanese armed forces must take the vital step of participating in the peace talks and summon the political courage to negotiate with their enemy. For the sake of the Sudanese people, the warring parties must demonstrate strength, not by waging war but by ending it. The United Arab Emirates repeats its consistent and increasingly urgent call for the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces to silence the guns, to allow unhindered and sustained humanitarian access and, ultimately, to recommit to a transition to a civilian-led Government. There must be accountability for the serious violations of international humanitarian law that have been committed. The leadership of the Sudanese armed forces gives excuse after excuse as to why they refuse to participate in the peace talks. That stance reflects their own internal divisions over how this conflict should end. The Sudanese representative is recycling disproven allegations in an effort to distract the Council and references articles that have been fuelled by their lies. The repetition of baseless allegations does not make them true, whether repeated in the media, in the Council or elsewhere. There is simply no credible evidence. These ludicrous accusations have been dispelled in our letters to the Security Council on this matter. This attempt to drive a wedge between our two nations will not succeed. The United Arab Emirates will remain a strong partner to the Sudanese people, with whom we share a historic bond. In fact, more than 200,000 Sudanese citizens call the United Arab Emirates their home. We share their pain for what is happening to their country and their compatriots. Over the past decade, the United Arab Emirates has given more than $3.5 billion in aid to the Sudan, and since the start of this conflict we have provided $230 million in humanitarian assistance. We will continue to advocate for what the Sudanese people demand, which is an end to this conflict and a return to a civilian-led Government. And we will call for the inclusion of women’s voices and perspectives in that process. When the guns are silenced and the dust settles, the United Arab Emirates will be at the Sudan’s side, as it has been for decades.