Sudan

Mr. President, Heads and members of delegations, Distinguished guests, Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you all.

1) Opening

On behalf of the Government and people of Sudan, I extend to you, Mr. President, my congratulations on your assumption of the presidency of our seventy-eighth session, wishing you success and prosperity in leading this session in a manner that restores confidence and revives international solidarity for the good of all, and that serves the Sustainable Development Goals. I also extend my thanks and appreciation to your predecessor for her constructive initiatives and efforts during the previous session. We likewise thank and commend the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for his continuous and ambitious efforts and initiatives to develop the performance of the United Nations and enhance our ability and competence to deal with the unprecedented challenges facing our world today. We appreciate his commendable attention to Sudan and his sincere endeavours to help end the war of aggression that was unleashed against Sudan following the outbreak of hostilities. I would also like to touch, in this address, on thematic issues, and to affirm that, for our part, we will strive during this session to support and cooperate with you in serving the interests of our peoples and supporting their development.

Mr. President,

Sudan today endures a brutal, unjustified defensive war imposed upon its entire people, targeting the unity and sovereignty of the State, at the hands of a rebellious militia supported financially and militarily through domestic, regional and external linkages, threatening the lives of civilians and their property. This militia has been permitted to commit crimes against humanity and war crimes in Khartoum and Darfur, employing heavy weaponry and military hardware in a manner that prompted the International Criminal Court to open an investigation under our own judicial complaint. We have likewise issued a decision to establish an investigation committee headed by the Public Prosecution to investigate the crimes committed by this militia against the Masalit tribe.

Indeed, the attempted seizure of power by force targeted the headquarters of the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and the General Command of the Armed Forces, as well as State facilities and vital infrastructure, in scenes reminiscent of genocide. This militia and its mercenaries have engaged in ethnic cleansing of the population in Darfur to replace them with non-Sudanese elements, exactly as occurred previously, uprooting residents from areas they have inhabited for generations, killing and displacing the population, engaging in destruction, looting, and committing grave violations. We have submitted our complaints to the following bodies:

1. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
2. The Deputy United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
3. The Government of the United States of America, including:
   1. The Secretary of State
   2. The United States Ambassador to the United Nations
   3. The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
   4. The United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice
4. The European Union
5. The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court
6. Human Rights Watch
7. The human rights research team at the University of Geneva
8. Human Rights Watch (further reference)
9. The Wall Street Journal

In addition, we have submitted testimonies and video recordings that the aggressors themselves have publicized, showing the burning and destruction of libraries, the National Records Office, the National Museum, and cultural heritage institutions in an attempt to erase the historical memory and identity of the Sudanese people. This confirms that this militia has transformed training camps into battlegrounds. It has become impossible for the situation to continue as it stands, given the atrocious acts and grave consequences of the rebellion perpetrated against our people, since it has revoked the very existence of the Rapid Support Forces as a formation within our national military establishment and cancelled the legal decree that had brought them into being. Accordingly, the continuing rejection by this militia of the legitimacy and authority of the State and Government poses a challenge not only to Sudan but to the entire region and the international community as a whole.

Despite this, the Government of Sudan has spared no effort in trying to end this situation, having welcomed regional and international initiatives aimed at ending the war, and having affirmed its readiness to engage seriously with any initiative leading to a cessation of hostilities and an alleviation of the humanitarian situation. Since the Jeddah Platform in May 2023, and despite the obstinacy of the rebellion and its insistence on remaining, further attacks have been carried out on public services and facilities, on civilians and civilian objects, on hospitals and on citizens and their property. It has become clear that continued dialogue with a militia that respects neither international law nor human rights conventions is futile. In this regard, we welcome the report of the United Nations Human Rights Council's Independent Fact-Finding Mission, which confirmed the widespread and systematic use, by the rebel militia, of sexual violence and other atrocities against women and girls, as well as enforced disappearance, and we condemn the killing of the Wali of West Darfur, Khamis Abakar, on ethnic grounds — a heinous crime for which we hold the Rapid Support Forces militia responsible.

We express our gratitude and appreciation to all the sisterly and friendly States that have supported the Government and people of Sudan, provided humanitarian assistance, and opened their borders to our citizens. We also commend the efforts of the African Union and the joint initiative under the auspices of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United States of America, and the neighbouring countries hosting us, including the Arab Republic of Egypt.

2) The War in Sudan

Mr. President,

The General Command of the Armed Forces was prepared for the anticipated dialogue to resolve the political crisis when, on Saturday, 15 April 2023, the Rapid Support Forces — which had been part of the protection forces under the command of the Armed Forces — launched a sudden and direct attack on the headquarters of the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief, in an attempt to seize power unconstitutionally by force. As a result, the Sudanese Armed Forces were compelled to respond in self-defence, and undertook the difficult task of reducing losses through a strategy of containing the battlefield. They maintained control and adherence to this approach, succeeding in thwarting the militia's attempts at territorial expansion, and in cutting off its external supply and rearmament routes despite support extended to it from certain countries, thereby weakening the rebel Rapid Support militia's military capabilities and equipment.

3) The Humanitarian Situation: A Challenge

I would like to commend the high-level conference organized by the United Nations under the auspices of the Secretary-General to address the humanitarian challenges resulting from the war in Sudan, held in Geneva on 19 June, and I note the coordination between the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Sudan's Permanent Mission in New York, as well as the support of the European Union and the Governments of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Federal Republic of Germany, who shared in the sponsorship of this humanitarian effort. This exceptional situation, through which Sudan and its people are passing, requires your organization, your capacities and resources, your solidarity with States and institutions and international and regional agencies, in order to meet the needs of Sudan and the countries affected by the crisis, with pledges reaching $1.5 billion.

I thank you all for this great concern, given the humanitarian consequences of this war and its impact on all aspects of life — health, education, water, environment and services — as well as the destruction inflicted upon public infrastructure and private property, forcing citizens into internal displacement, seeking refuge, or transiting through some neighbouring countries. I would also like to highlight the tireless efforts of the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator and the High Commissioner for Refugees in addressing this situation.

I also thank all the countries that have contributed cash and in-kind donations for the urgent humanitarian response, in support of the priorities identified for development, expressing our gratitude and appreciation, and affirming Sudan's cooperation with the United Nations agencies operating in the humanitarian field, and with its mechanisms, to enable the delivery of assistance and support to beneficiaries as swiftly as possible by leveraging national capacities in this area, and to overcome all obstacles.

Mr. President,

As a result of the dire humanitarian situation, the Government of Sudan has designated Port Sudan's port and airport, as well as Wadi Seidna and Dongola, for the delivery of assistance, and its distribution is being carried out in accordance with the humanitarian procedures for the delivery of aid by United Nations agencies and international organizations operating in Sudan, in cooperation with humanitarian actors, adhering to the principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality that govern humanitarian work, and emphasizing humanitarian activities. We note that the Government of Sudan has facilitated a visit by the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator to Sudan to review the humanitarian operation, and that the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission has completed its coordination with all relevant parties in order to facilitate humanitarian work. It is currently managing relief and support operations to assist those affected, coordinating with international and regional organizations, and has expressed its readiness to remove any obstacles it may face in fulfilling its duties. It has coordinated with all parties concerned to establish safe corridors through which aid can be delivered to hospitals and health centres affected, and formed a committee — comprising representatives of all governmental and civil institutions — to address the obstacles facing humanitarian work.

Mr. President,

In response to repeated calls for de-escalation, the Government of Sudan has agreed to a number of renewed ceasefire understandings, under the auspices of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, through the Jeddah Platform, with the Rapid Support Forces militia, and humanitarian arrangements to mitigate the impact of the conflict on civilians, uphold international humanitarian law, and facilitate the passage of humanitarian assistance and essential services to those in need and affected. However, the rebel forces have not honoured these commitments; instead, they have exploited them to carry out further coordinated attacks. In this regard, we affirm the following:

• Sudan affirms its full commitment to cooperating with the United Nations and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need and affected by the war.
• The authorities in Port Sudan have completed all necessary procedures to facilitate the movement of hundreds of United Nations relief convoys carrying thousands of metric tons of humanitarian aid to all regions of Sudan, in an operation whose success was recently confirmed.
• Several factors have hindered the provision of humanitarian services and assistance, foremost among them weak funding and a financial gap amounting to more than 70 per cent of pledges that have not yet been disbursed, and we call upon donors to honour their humanitarian commitments.

6) Sudan's Progress on Women's Empowerment and Vulnerable Groups

1. Sudan has made progress in mainstreaming women's issues into development policies and strategies as part of the fundamental measures and responses aimed at empowering women, as the transitional Government took action to combat violence against women and girls, enacted laws and measures to eliminate all forms of violence against women, particularly sexual and gender-based violence in conflict zones, established and strengthened protection units within the formal security apparatus and the armed forces, and worked to end impunity for perpetrators of these crimes, in accordance with the framework of cooperation with the United Nations Office in areas of conflict for combating sexual violence.

2. A joint standard operating procedures document for the prevention of and response to violence against women and girls has been developed, along with a national action plan against sexual violence in conflict, in cooperation with the United Nations, and the Combating Violence Against Women Act of 2020 has been issued, strengthening the role of specialized units, family and child protection units, at the central and state levels, to combat violence against women and provide support and assistance to survivors of violence.

3. The Government of Sudan seeks to protect the rights of children affected by armed conflict and to ensure their well-being, affirming Sudan's full commitment to protecting and promoting children's rights, having renewed the National Action Plan for Child Protection for 2016, and continuing efforts to end grave violations against children, under which Sudan was removed from the list of violations against children in 2018. We call for accelerating economic and social empowerment of women, and are committed to leveraging technology to improve conditions and combat negative stereotypes and behaviors, promoting positive social values and social justice and well-being.

7) Sudan's Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals

Mr. President,

1. The agricultural sector is considered one of the leading, principal, and driving sectors for Sudan's economic and social development, given its abundant resources embodied in vast tracts of arable land, and abundant water resources, which could contribute significantly to global food security, which currently faces enormous pressures.

2. However, Sudan faces immense development challenges amid the continuing deterioration of the economic and political situation, most notably the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and recently, the destruction caused by floods and the humanitarian catastrophes resulting from unprecedented conflicts, requiring urgent and concerted support from the Government, the international community, and all partners.

3. The number of internally displaced persons in Sudan has risen to over 2.1 million as a result of the ongoing armed conflict since April of this year, and more than 1.4 million have crossed to neighbouring countries, most of them to Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan, and displaced persons currently face difficulties in receiving humanitarian assistance, in addition to financial hardship, security risks, environmental risks, and lack of healthcare.

8) Prospects for a Political Process after the War

The Political Process:

1. We reaffirm Sudan's readiness to consider any constructive initiative that helps end the war, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need and affected, and support reconstruction, provided the solution stems from the Sudanese people themselves, in affirmation of national ownership.

2. The Government of Sudan has developed a political process to end the war and contain its repercussions, and it is a comprehensive and genuine process, given the scale of the destruction inflicted upon infrastructure, hospitals, electricity and water stations, in Khartoum and elsewhere, in addition to the harm done to civilians and their dignity, as well as direct damage sustained by ministries, institutions, and public facilities, necessitating urgent efforts for reconstruction, provision of technical assistance, and institution-building.

The past period of freezing and suspending international assistance to Sudan has negatively affected vulnerable sectors and contributed to widening the protection gap, and the negative effects of climate change have compounded food insecurity, further exacerbated by recurring devastating floods and droughts in some states. In this regard, we call upon the international community, financial institutions, and friendly and sisterly States to provide financial and technical support for projects and investment in agriculture and livestock, in which Sudan holds a comparative advantage among sectors, given the destruction the war has wrought on water and power generation stations, in addition to restoring essential services and rehabilitating vital sectors of the economy.

Mr. President,

The debt burden continues to constrain the Sudanese people's ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to reduce economic and social vulnerability, and sanctions imposed on Sudan represent an obstacle to economic recovery and development. The policy of imposing sanctions and failing to address the debt crisis undermines the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and Sudan calls for placing the lifting of sanctions and the blockade high among the priorities of this session's presidency at the United Nations, given the economic devastation caused by unilateral or collective political, economic, trade, and financial pressures imposed on States, which impedes the developmental path of countries and the achievement of sustainable development.

Mr. President,

Given the circumstances of the war and the grave damage inflicted on infrastructure in Khartoum State and elsewhere, the Government of Sudan is working to rehabilitate and operate infrastructure in the affected areas and to raise the efficiency of alternative capital, having resorted to the city of Port Sudan as a secondary administrative capital, necessitating an increase in the electrical generation capacity, and we call on the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, and relevant agencies to work with us to enhance the efficiency of power grids, water stations, and banking and financial transfer operations, and to facilitate reconstruction financing and trade financing, in order to break the cyclical and financial deadlock in Sudan, alongside supporting the reconstruction of areas that have received large numbers of displaced persons, supporting service delivery and addressing health and environmental needs in cooperation with international donors, and we look forward to agreements with the UNDP to expand the scope and quality of logistical operations in Sudan.

9) The United Nations and Multilateralism

Mr. President,

The renewal of civil wars, armed conflicts, and intransigent armed movements rejecting peace agreements has led to conflicts becoming cross-border, involving diverse ethnic, demographic, and social components based on identity, and regional and international interference has led to the internationalization of these conflicts, one of which is the case of Sudan. We call upon the international community and United Nations bodies to work to condemn the violations committed by these armed groups, which the State rarely holds accountable, given the alliances between terrorist and tribal groups, arms and small weapons trafficking that has spread through central authority networks, and access to advanced technology, which has heightened instability and risks, encouraged the acquisition of qualitative weapons, worsened the nature of conflicts, and led to widespread violations of international law, including sexual and gender-based violence, targeting vulnerable groups particularly women, girls, the elderly, and children. We reaffirm here the principle of criminal accountability and non-impunity, and we call upon the United Nations and the Secretary-General to take note of reports that confirm the spread of hate speech and the dissemination of false and misleading information on social media platforms, further undermining the status of human rights and hindering the democratic process, and we call for the expansion of civic participation to achieve the desired national reconciliation.

We reaffirm, despite this, the importance of preserving multilateralism and international solidarity, in commitment to the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter, and in reinforcement of the purposes of international peace and security.

Mr. President,

We express the concern of the international system over the ongoing arms race, which threatens international peace and security, and we call for strengthening the normative controls, treaties, and multilateral agreements and mechanisms of global governance, and for respecting commitments related to comprehensive safeguards, working to reach a universal treaty to prevent the spread of these weapons.

Given the increasing natural disasters and climate change, and their impacts, which require more international attention and mitigation of risks, we join our voice with those calling for the revival and strengthening of global solidarity to achieve climate adaptation and reduce the effects thereof, and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for the sake of peace and the prosperity of societies, and to ensure a safe environment for future generations, and we call for accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Mr. President,

We hope that comprehensive Security Council reform will take place through intergovernmental negotiations, given the importance of the geopolitical shift since the end of the Second World War, and the evolution of international relations that must reflect a reconsideration and reform reflecting increased regard for the interests of developing countries, whereby the reform process is not limited to membership alone, but also includes improving the working methods of the Council, reviewing the role of veto-wielding powers, and rationalizing the decision-making process and its consequences on the interests of States that are affected by matters on the Council's agenda.

Mr. President,

The bankruptcy of the international financial system has produced negative effects requiring restructuring, which necessitates calling upon States to address protectionist measures so we may reduce the severe impacts on countries of the global South by increasing the scale of debt. We call upon the international community to prioritize protection for the most vulnerable and grant priority to growth and provide more employment opportunities and support economic growth of countries most affected by conflict, particularly women and children, and provide coordinated services across various sectors at central and local levels, alongside calling on developed countries to provide incentives for countries most in need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by increasing financing available for accelerated, low-interest financing and long-term concessional financing, expanding funding for reconstruction, public and private investment, adopting clear standards to reduce poverty levels, empowering women and girls, and developing development processes, updating national data systems and monitoring mechanisms.

Mr. President,

We call upon the international community to provide full support and firm backing for peacebuilding, and for donors, investors, and international donors to assist in reconstruction and rebuilding of societies that have suffered wars, and we call for support for the Peacebuilding Fund and assistance to the countries bearing the greatest burden of climate change, and we also hope to see justice in climate financing, with support for developing countries in increasing investment in renewable energy sources, more financing for developing countries to increase investment, women's empowerment, increasing donor guarantees, mobilizing capital from multilateral development banks and financial institutions to mobilize more resources by increasing donor guarantees and adopting concessional financing terms.

We call for enhancing international cooperation and strengthening global partnership among countries, and we call for confronting the challenges facing the international community by strengthening peace, its maintenance, commitment to peacebuilding, climate financing and technology, innovation, and supporting comprehensive and sustainable economic growth, and bridging the digital divide, and capacity building.

Thank you, Mr. President and distinguished guests, for your kind attention.