STATEMENT BY MARTHA AMA AKYAA POBEE, SPECIAL REREPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING
New York
18 JUNE 2024
Thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s meeting on the situation in the Sudan, a situation that has continued to dangerously deteriorate.
It is crucial to ensure the continuing engagement of the Security Council. The warring parties do take note when we act collectively, and we must do more. Despite the efforts of the United Nations, its Member States and regional organizations, we have not succeeded in preventing the escalation of violence in the country and notably in El Fasher. We are deeply worried about the possibility that the fighting in and around El Fasher could lead to more suffering for the civilian population on a massive scale. There are atrocities being committed along ethnic lines, and we have been witnessing the severe consequences of relentless shelling and aerial bombardments in densely populated areas.
Between 16 April and 9 June, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights documented at least 192 civilian deaths in El Fasher. Since then, dozens more civilians, including women and children, have reportedly been killed. Civilians are in the line of fire and are not safe anywhere. We strongly condemn the attack on 8 June on South Hospital in El Fasher, reportedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces, which has deprived hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the city of one of their last remaining lifelines.
A ceasefire in El Fasher is needed now to prevent further atrocities, protect critical infrastructure and alleviate civilian suffering. It could and should also pave the way for a broader-scale cessation of hostilities. The Security Council’s adoption last week of resolution 2736 (2024) was an important signal from the Council that the escalating military confrontation must stop in order to bring an end to the deeply negative impact it is having on the lives of the Sudanese people. The resolution underlines the well-established responsibility of the warring parties and reiterates the pressing need for them to abide by international humanitarian law. It urges them to immediately de-escalate the situation in El Fasher and protect civilians throughout the territory of the Sudan. The parties must heed that call without delay. As the Council requests, the Secretary-General will actively develop recommendations to strengthen the protection of civilians more effectively.
As the Security Council meets to closely follow the developments on the ground, the fighting between the warring parties continues to rage and in fact is escalating in several other parts of the Sudan, including greater Khartoum, the Kordofan regions and Gezira state. On 5 June, the Rapid Support Forces allegedly carried out a horrific attack in the village of Wad Al-Noora in Gezira state, reportedly killing more than 100 civilians. The violence against civilians must stop now. No operational justification or even miscalculation justifies targeting them in any circumstances. If swift action is not taken, the Sudan risks becoming engulfed in more ethnic violence and becoming even more fragmented. The risk of a spillover of the conflict remains high. As the flow of sophisticated weapons continues to fuel the war, all the external players concerned should act responsibly and use their leverage over the warring parties to advance peace efforts. Their positive engagement could make a difference to the trajectory of this war and the magnitude of its human toll.
The human rights situation remains appalling. Serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law continue to be committed on a large scale, including summary executions of civilians, the arrest and detention incommunicado of hundreds of individuals in poor conditions and widespread conflictrelated sexual violence predominantly perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces. We urgently need meaningful action aimed at ensuring accountability for those violations. The victims deserve justice.
The mediation efforts made so far have not secured a ceasefire or a sustained direct dialogue between the parties. Regrettably, there is no indication that the important discussions held in the context of the Jeddah platform will resume any time soon. We call on the parties to embrace dialogue, refrain from destructive blame games and seek every opportunity for peace. We cannot afford to be passive bystanders. A negotiated solution remains the only way out of this conflict. The Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ramtane Lamamra, visited the region in May and early June. He held discussions with General Burhan and other senior commanders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and with members of the Sudanese Sovereign Council in Port Sudan, as well as with a senior delegation sent to Nairobi by the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, General Dagalo. He urged them to spare civilians during all military operations whether conducted on land or from the air. He urged them to agree on a local ceasefire in El Fasher, emphasizing that that is essential to ensuring the safety of civilians. He also conveyed the need for an action-oriented meeting of the Humanitarian Forum, chaired by the Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms. Clementine NkwetaSalami, to concretely discuss and eliminate obstacles to humanitarian access. In his meeting with them, the Personal Envoy registered the commitment of both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan signed on 11 May 2023. Some fundamental differences still exist between the parties on how to advance the implementation of those commitments, and we call on them to display a constructive attitude in charting a way forward.
Mr. Lamamra continues to work on coordinated mediation efforts to advance the cause of peace alongside Member States and regional partners, including the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the League of Arab States. We welcome the Cairo communiqué that resulted from the consultative meeting convened by the League of Arab States on 12 June. The commitment to forming a technical working group of the regional and international organizations is an important step. It will facilitate the exchange of views and the coordination of diplomatic initiatives.
We are also grateful to Djibouti for offering to host a retreat for international mediators next month, to be jointly sponsored by the multilateral organizations concerned. The retreat will be crucial to the revitalization of coherent and coordinated peace efforts. It provides an opportunity to agree on shared responsibilities and a unified approach to peace in the Sudan. We are also encouraged by the decision of the African Union’s leadership to launch a preparatory process for convening a Sudanese civilian political dialogue. We stand ready to facilitate an appropriate United Nations contribution. It is critical to ensure that civilian voices, especially those of women and young people, are heard. Upholding the promise of the transitional period for a fully credible democratic Government remains crucial. We look forward to continuing our work with the African Union Highlevel Implementation Panel in leading those important efforts with the support and contribution of the other multilateral organizations concerned.
It is high time for the warring parties to spare the Sudanese people further suffering and come to the negotiating table to engage in discussions in good faith. We encourage the parties to take full advantage of Mr. Lamamra’s good offices to promote constructive interactions that can help them to take steps towards a horizon of peace. The plight of the Sudanese demands our urgent attention and decisive action. The warring parties have a responsibility to fulfil the people’s aspirations and make decisions of a historic nature and scope. The people of the Sudan deserve no less