Delivered By: HE Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Permanent Representative
Madam President,
I thank Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee and Ambassador Joonkook Hwang, Chair of the 1591 Sanctions Committee, for their briefings. I take note of Ms. Shayna Lewis’ participation in this meeting and listened carefully to her remarks.
The United Arab Emirates has long stood in solidarity with the people of Sudan and supported the important work of civil society to drive sustainable peace in Sudan. We share their outrage over the continued immense suffering of the Sudanese people.
It is however deeply regrettable to hear unfounded allegations against my country repeated in this session.
After more than 800 days of conflict, it is unacceptable that the warring parties continue to systematically violate international law by attacking civilians and blocking life-saving assistance.
As we heard in today’s haunting briefings, women, children, and entire communities are being terrorized by abhorrent acts of conflict-related sexual violence.
The intolerable scale of suffering is a direct result of the warring parties’ disregard for civilian lives and international humanitarian law.
There can be no more equivocating. The situation requires that the Council and the international community demand that these violations end now and act decisively to secure an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
Sixty percent of the Sudanese people require urgent humanitarian assistance.
And with the cholera outbreak in Darfur, the need for unimpeded humanitarian access grows more desperate by the day.
Yet, the warring parties are weaponizing starvation through widespread and systematic obstruction of humanitarian assistance.
They are imposing burdensome administrative impediments while blocking, or interfering with, aid deliveries.
The international community must listen to the courageous humanitarian workers who are putting their lives on the line to provide life-saving assistance to the people in Sudan.
And we must then act on what we hear.
In this spirit, the United Arab Emirates has had extensive discussions with humanitarians who are operating on the ground.
And we come to this chamber today to amplify their concerns, through the following urgent calls:
First, the warring parties must immediately lift all arbitrary access restrictions designed to obstruct the flow of aid and impede the critical work of humanitarian personnel. The Adré crossing point must remain open, but this alone cannot meet Sudan’s massive humanitarian needs.
Second, the United Nations must expand its presence throughout Sudan and at all viable entry points into the country so it can scale up its response and reduce aid delivery costs and delays. Overreliance on Port Sudan as a hub limits the ability of humanitarians to reach those who are most in need.
Third, the warring parties must cooperate with the UN to establish a humanitarian notification system that enables the safe, rapid, and impartial delivery of aid, without requiring incessant authorizations.
Humanitarians tell us that such a system is essential to ensure the predictable and secure passage of convoys and to minimize the risk of attacks on their personnel and supplies.
And finally, the warring parties must abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and the commitments they made to protect civilians and humanitarian personnel under the Jeddah Declaration.
Madam President,
The dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan is compounded by the absence of a clear political horizon.
After 19 months of mediation efforts, the international community must unify around a single peace initiative and demand that both the warring parties attend and participate meaningfully in peace talks.
The only viable path to lasting stability in the country is a Sudanese-owned political process that leads to a civilian government – one that is independent of the warring parties and reflects the will and diversity of Sudan’s people.
Madam President,
As we enter the third year of this devastating conflict, the warring parties continue to violate international law and commit atrocities against the Sudanese people. They must be held accountable by this Council, without distinction.
The UAE remains committed to advancing a comprehensive political solution reflective of the will of the Sudanese people.
We will continue to work with the UN, Council members and regional partners to support immediate humanitarian action and to bring this catastrophic civil war to an end.
Thank you, Madam President.