Sudan

Mr. President,

Your Excellency the Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Their Majesties the Kings, and Excellencies the Presidents and Heads of Government,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you all.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election to preside over the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly, and to assure you of my country's full support and cooperation with you in the discharge of your duties during this session, so that we may together achieve the aspirations of our peoples for peace, security, development and prosperity. I would also like to express our appreciation to your predecessor for the efforts he exerted during his presidency of the previous session.

I take this opportunity as well to commend the tireless efforts of the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, and the work of the United Nations Secretariat, in confronting the numerous crises and challenges facing our world today.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We meet this year as the world continues to face grave challenges and crises that threaten international peace and security, and that require of us collective and concerted action, founded upon the principles of the United Nations Charter, respect for the sovereignty of states, and non-interference in their internal affairs.

Distinguished Delegates,

I address you today from a country that has, for more than a year, been enduring one of the most brutal wars in its modern history — a war imposed upon it by a rebellious militia, the so-called Rapid Support Forces, which took up arms against the legitimate state and its institutions, and has committed against our people crimes of killing, displacement, and destruction that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, and which, in some regions, bear the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing.

Mr. President,

The Sudanese people, who rose in a glorious revolution demanding freedom, peace and justice, today find themselves confronting an armed rebellion that has sought to tear apart the unity of their nation and to undermine the very foundations of their state. This militia has received support and backing from external parties that have supplied it with weapons and funding, in flagrant violation of international law and the principles of state sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs.

From this platform, I renew Sudan's call upon the international community to shoulder its responsibilities by classifying this rebellious militia as a terrorist organization, given the terrorist nature of its practices against innocent civilians, and to take effective measures to halt the flow of weapons and funding to it from abroad.

I also renew our appeal to the United Nations and the international community to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the millions of our citizens who have been displaced and made refugees inside and outside the country, and to support the efforts of the Sudanese government to alleviate their suffering and to secure their safe and dignified return to their homes.

Mr. President,

Despite the enormity of the challenges we face, we in Sudan remain firmly committed to the political process and to achieving a comprehensive and just peace that preserves the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of our country, and that opens the way to a genuine democratic transition led by the will of the Sudanese people themselves, free from any external interference.

We reaffirm our full readiness to cooperate with all regional and international efforts aimed at ending this war, and we call upon the international community to exert greater pressure on this rebellious militia and its supporters to compel them to cease hostilities and to comply with the demands of the Sudanese people for peace and stability.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Sudan's crisis is but one example of many crises confronting our world today, at a time when we witness the erosion of the principles upon which the international system was founded, and the failure of some of its institutions to keep pace with the ever-changing realities of the international arena. This calls upon us all to reconsider the structures of international governance, foremost among them the Security Council, so as to make it more representative, more just, and more capable of addressing the crises of our times, including the plight of the brotherly Palestinian people, who continue to suffer occupation, aggression, and the denial of their legitimate rights, foremost among them their right to establish their independent state on their national soil, with Jerusalem as its capital.

Distinguished Delegates,

In conclusion, I renew Sudan's appreciation to the Secretary-General, to the United Nations agencies, and to all the brotherly and friendly countries and organizations that have stood by the Sudanese people in their ordeal, whether through political support or humanitarian assistance. We call upon you all to continue and to intensify this support until the Sudanese people overcome this crisis and regain security, stability, and the path toward comprehensive development.

Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates,

Sudan will remain, as it has always been, a state committed to the principles of the United Nations Charter, working for peace and cooperation among nations, and standing alongside every just cause in our world.

Thank you, and peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you all.