Statement by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia at UNSC Briefing on Sudan
Madam President,
We are grateful to the Secretary-General for the briefing. We have closely listened to the representative of civil society, Ms. Hanaa Eltigani. We welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of the Sudan.
Russia has consistently supported efforts aimed at a lasting settlement of the Sudanese conflict. We stand convinced that there is no military solution, and that all existing disagreements should be resolved through dialogue between the leading Sudanese actors.
Due to the protracted armed conflict, economic and social problems in the country are mounting, and they are placing an intolerable burden on the Sudanese Government, as well as on neighboring states. The number of internally displaced persons is nearing 10 million, and the number of refugees runs into the millions. The situation is aggravated by recorded cases of ethnically motivated violence. Since the very beginning of the conflict, different countries’ diplomatic premises, which used to be based in Khartoum, have been hard hit. For its part, Russia resolutely condemns any attacks on diplomatic missions and attempts to undermine their inviolability in circumvention of the fundamental principles regarding the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises as per the relevant Vienna Conventions of 1961 and 1963.
International efforts to launch an inter-Sudanese peace process have stalled. Under such circumstances, the parties to the conflict are relying on the use of force while resolving existing contradictions. We note that of late there has been a change in the configuration of the warring forces, since a number of groups have come over to the side of the Sudanese army. And these groups (along with civilians supporting them) are currently being subjected to brutal punitive actions by the Rapid Support Forces (RSP). These developments may result in the epicenter of the fight shifting to Darfur.
What should be prioritized at this stage is an immediate cessation of hostilities. And as soon as the acute phase of this fratricidal conflict is over, intra-Sudanese dialogue should be immediately resumed. In order to make it inclusive, it would be advantageous to involve in this process all influential political forces and the country's main ethno-confessional groups, including reputable regional leaders. We also believe that Sudanese women should play an important role particularly at this stage. The dialogue should result in shaping the future public authorities so that they accommodate all stakeholders; and the configuration of the future state bodies should take into account the causes of the crisis. We deem unacceptable any destructive external interference in the domestic affairs of Sudan, which is a friend of ours. We are convinced that the Sudanese people can and should settle their internal problems on their own. Any initiatives to restore peace in the country without the participation of Port Sudan are doomed to failure.
We regard the Sudanese Sovereignty Council as the highest-ranking legitimate authority of the country. We champion the unity, the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Sudan.
We support the efforts of the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Sudan to promote the peace process in accordance with the instructions given to him by the UN Secretary-General. We also note the steps taken by the African Union and other countries of the region. We call on them to undertake additional active work involving all stakeholders.
The humanitarian situation in Sudan remains challenging. A significant number of medical facilities are not operational, there is a shortage of medicines, and people do not have full access to health care. Another remaining major challenge is the underfunded humanitarian response plan for the country. At the same time, the Sudanese government has taken the proactive steps to facilitate humanitarian access to the country, and these efforts are already bearing fruit. With the support from the World Food Program and other agencies, a significant amount of aid has been delivered to those in need in Darfur, including to areas where alleged famine was reported by some sources.
The Russian Federation welcomes the steps taken by the Sudanese leadership to expand humanitarian access, including the temporary opening of the Adre border crossing. At the same time, we note that Port Sudan has opened over a dozen points to receive humanitarian supplies. As recently as on October 18, it was announced that the airports of Kadugli in Southern Kordofan, Dongola in Northern State of Sudan and El Obeid in Northern Kordofan would be used for that purpose. They should be used to the greatest extent possible to ensure that aid reaches all regions of the country.
Moreover, the Sudanese authorities have come up with concrete proposals to the humanitarian community that would address all of the Government's concerns regarding checks on consignments arriving at the Adré border crossing. Recently, the country's Minister of Finance, Gibril Ibrahim, announced measures that would help to ensure the continued operation of the corridor.
At the same time, we are convinced that the decision to extend the operation of the Adré border crossing for the shipments of consignments for next month is a matter for the Sudanese Government to decide. It is a part and parcel of the Sudanese sovereignty, which, I am sure, none of the Council members question. Thus, we believe that it is inappropriate to exert pressure on the Sudanese side with regard to the expiration on November 15 of their permission to use the Adré border crossing. It is necessary to find a mutually acceptable solution here.
We are in strong opposition to the politicization of humanitarian assistance, whether that be in Sudan or anywhere else. We believe that any humanitarian assistance should be carried out solely in coordination with the central authorities of the country. It is precisely they who bear the primary responsibility for the security of their people.
We have carefully read the report by the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in Sudan. We cannot say that we share all the assessments and recommendations contained therein. Yet, the main question is not even what they look like on paper, but rather how they can be implemented on the ground, especially in the absence of a lasting ceasefire. As the aforementioned report rightly points out, a ceasefire is a decisive factor in ensuring sustained protection of civilians. Taking steps to pre-empt this absolutely necessary precondition can result in the opposite of the desired outcome. Moreover, it is not entirely clear what is meant by local ceasefires – how are they going to be reached and, more importantly, how are they going to be monitored?
Finally, we believe it important to step up efforts to implement agreements reached in Jeddah in May 2023. We are pleased that this issue was duly reflected in the aforementioned report.
In conclusion, I would like to note that it is not only the warring parties that should put the interests of the Sudanese people first, but it is also the countries of the region that need to rise above the contradictions and develop a consolidated position to promptly end the conflict. We also expect the Security Council to take a balanced and responsible approach that will take into account both the current developments of the Sudanese conflict and the complexity of the historical context in that country. This will also help bolster the effectiveness of assistance provided by the UN and strengthen the credibility of the Organization.
Thank you for your attention.
