Explanation of vote by Deputy Permanent Representative Anna Evstigneeva after UNSC vote on a draft resolution on Sudan's sanctions
Distinguished colleagues,
The Russian Federation voted in favor of draft UNSC resolution to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts for Sudan. But we regret that some UNSC members used far-fetched politicized pretexts to undermine the endorsement of benchmarks for lifting Sudan’s arms embargo. In its resolution 2565, the Security Council expressed its intention to come up with such benchmarks by the fall of 2021. So we can say that the Council sabotaged its own obligations on that matter.
We expect that the new deadline for completing this task – 31 August 2022 -- which is set out in the resolution we adopted today will be upheld. The benchmarks need to be clear, realistic and attainable.
We proceed from the understanding that Sudan’s sanctions regime no longer corresponds to the de facto situation in Darfur. Besides, it impedes the implementation of Khartoum's plans in the area of state-building and socio-economic development of the region.
It is our principled position that UNSC sanctions must always be perfectly reasonable, be regularly reviewed and modified until fully lifted. It is unacceptable to use them as a “punitive” tool.
Thank you.
