The military government of Sudan stated in a letter to the leader of the UN and shared with the Council – which assigns mandates to each UN mission for peacekeeping or political purposes – that while requesting a withdrawal, they are still dedicated to working with the UN in a positive manner.

Sudan has recently joined the ranks of African nations requesting the removal of UN missions, following in the footsteps of Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Darfur advance

Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, notified the ambassadors on the Security Council that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have successfully taken control of land, displacing the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) from numerous bases in the area since late October.

According to reports from the media, it appears that the RSF is preparing to make progress towards El Fasher, a significant town and the final stronghold of the SAF in north Darfur.

According to Ms. Pobee, an RSF assault on El Fasher or its nearby regions may cause significant harm to innocent civilians, as a large population of internally displaced individuals reside in the area.

She notified members of the Council that certain armed factions in the area, previously uninvolved in the dispute, have now joined forces with the SAF.

Outside of Darfur, clashes continue in Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri, with the main fighting taking place around SAF strongholds. Hostilities are also spreading into new areas, including Gezira, White Nile and West Kordofan states, Ms. Pobee added.

Humanitarian calamity

The disagreement has led to a significant emergency situation and escalating breaches of human rights in Sudan, leading to the loss of more than 6,000 innocent people, including women and children, since April.

More than 7.1 million individuals have been displaced from their residences across the nation, with hundreds of thousands relocating to neighboring countries.

Although faced with challenges in reaching those in need, conflicts against aid workers, and administrative obstacles, the United Nations and its collaborators have successfully provided essential assistance to 4.1 million individuals. However, this accounts for only 22 percent of the intended aid for the year 2023.

She stated that civilians are still experiencing severe breaches of their human rights, such as sexual and gender-based violence. Evidence gathered by UNITAMS in Sudan indicates that members of the RSF or individuals wearing RSF uniforms are believed to be responsible for these acts.

Adapting the mission

Ms. Pobee also mentioned that the Secretary-General has selected Ian Martin, a highly experienced UN negotiator who has led missions in various countries, including Libya, Nepal, Timor Leste, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. Martin will be leading a comprehensive review of UNITAMS to present the Security Council with potential recommendations on how to adjust its mandate to suit the current wartime circumstances.

“Ms. Martin plans to engage in thorough discussions with important parties such as Sudanese officials, members of civil society, regional and sub-regional organizations, Member States, and relevant entities within the United Nations,” she stated.

Fighting is futile

To summarize, Ms. Pobee stressed the importance of the SAF and RSF acknowledging the pointlessness of ongoing conflict and putting a focus on communication and reducing tensions.

She stressed the importance of Sudan’s situation as a global issue and encouraged the international community to reaffirm their dedication to collaborative peace initiatives led by the region.

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Sudan: Mission not meeting expectations

During the meeting, Sudan’s delegate stated that their government has been working with regional and international parties since April 18th to put an end to the conflict and alleviate the struggles faced by the people of Sudan.

The individual urged the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to acknowledge the offenses committed by the RSF. It was noted that the militias are persisting in forcibly removing citizens and carrying out ethnic cleansing, as well as other international crimes, despite making promises during recent discussions in Saudi Arabia.

He informed the ambassadors that conducting a strategic evaluation of UNITAMS is necessary because the Mission is not meeting expectations.

To access a comprehensive summary of the meeting, please refer to our complete report on the Meetings Coverage Service, available here.

Source: news.un.org